3C?  *0  T +L 


Gf  tor 


/ 


SEP  24  19] 

'sn^OP/CAL  SEV.' 


PHILIPPINE  INDEPENDENCE 


MEMORIAL  OF  THE  PHILIPPINE  MISSION,  ASKING  THAT  IMMEDIATE 
INDEPENDENCE  BE  GRANTED  THE  PHILIPPINE  ISLANDS 


The  Filipino  people  respectfully  submit  the  following  propositions  : 

1.  That  as  defined  and  established  in  the  act  of  Congress  of  August 
29,  1916,  the  purpose  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States  is  to  with- 
draw its  sovereignty  over  the  Philippine  Islands  as  soon  as  a stable  gov- 
ernment can  be  established  therein. 

2.  That  In  accordance  with  the  terms  and  provisions  of  said  law  the 
people  of  the  Philippines  have  organized  a government  that  has  been  in 
operation  for  nearly  three  years  and  which  has  offered  complete  evi- 
dence that  conditions  are  ripe  for  the  establishment  of  an  independent 
government  that  will  be  fully  capable  of  maintaining  law  and  order, 
administer  justice,  promote  the  welfare  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Islands,  and  discharge  as  well  Its  international  obligations. 

3.  That  the  Filipino  people  desire  their  independence  at  this  time, 
and  along  with  that  independence  they  confidently  hope  ^o  preserve  the 
bonds  of  good  understanding  and  friendship  which  bind  them  to  the 
United  States,  and  to  foster  the  free  development  of  commercial  rela- 
tions between  the  two  countries. 


REMARKS 

OF 

HON.  JAIME  C.  DE  VEYRA 

OF  THE  PHILIPPINES 

IF#  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES 
Wednesday,  June  11,  1919 


122370— 191S9 


WASHINGTON 

1919 


s 


% 


V 


/ 


% 


( 


- v v * u; 


/ V 


SEP  24  191 P 


E EMAEKS 

OF 

HON.  JAIME  0.  HE  VEYRA. 


Mr.  DE  VEYRA.  Mr.  Speaker,  under  the  leave  granted  to  me 
to  extend  my  remarks  in  tlie  Recokd,  I include  a memorial  of  tlie 
Philippine  Mission  addressed  to  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States. 

Tlie  memorial  is  as  follows : 

To  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 

States: 

The  undersigned,  members  of  the  Philippine  mission,  pursuant 
to  the  instructions  received  from  the  Philippine  Legislature  and 
in  accordance  with  the  wishes  of  the  Filipino  people,  beg  to  sub- 
mit hereby  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  of  America  a 
formal  petitioa  that  the  independence  of  the  Philippine  Islands 
be  granted  at  this  time.  \ 

It  is  confidently  hoped  and  believed  that  the  Congress  will  not 
suffer  this  opportunity  to  pass  by  at  a time  when  the  whole 
w’orld  is  so  anxious  to  see  international  relations  established 
upon  newer  and  more  solid  foundations  of  universal  justice  and 
liberty. 

America  has  constituted  herself  and  has  justly  been  recog- 
nized as  the  champion  of  the  rights  of  humanity  in  the  last 
World  War,  and  due  in  a great  measure  to  her  heroic  efforts  and 
generous  aid  mankind  has  been  saved  from  the  thraldom  of 
greed  and  oppression,  and  the  rights  of  small  and  weaker  na- 
tions to  exist  side  by  side  with  the  great  powers  vindicated. 

The  recognition  of  the  independence  of  the  Philippines  at  this 
time  will  constitute  an  object  lesson  to  the  whole  world  in  respect 
of  the  lofty  and  altruistic  aims  which  have  prompted  America  to 
take  part  in  the  great  war,  for  it  will  furnish  a practical  appli- 
cation of  her  doctrine  of  self-determination. 

For  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  colonial  relations  a subject 
and  alien  race  comes  to  ask  the  severance  of  their  political  con- 
nection with  the  sovereign  nation  without  recounting  any  act  of 
injustice,  but  rather  with  a feeling  of  gratitude  and  affection. 
Our  plea  for  independence  is  based  not  on  the  injustice  which 
might  be  found  in  the  forcible  subjection  of  the  Filipinos,  but  on 
the  justice  of  our  claim  that  the  national  sovereignty  of  our 
people  be  fully  recognized,  in  order  that  we  may  freely  fulfill  our 
own  mission  and  contribute  to  the  spread  and  establishment  of 
democracy  and  Christian  institutions  in  the  Far  East. 

With  this  end  in  view,  we  respectfully  submit  the  fol- 
lowing propositions: 

1.  That  as  defined  and  established  in  the  act  of  Congress 
of  August  29,  1916,  the  purpose  of  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  is  to  withdraw  its  sovereignty  over  the 
122370— 194S9  3 


0 


4 

v 

Philippine  Islands  as  soon  as  a stable  government  can  he 
established  therein. 

2.  That  in  accordance- with  the  terms  and  provisions  of 
said  law  the  people  of  the  Philippines  have  organized  a 
..government  that  has  been  in  operation  for  nearly  three 
years  and  which  has  offered  complete  evidence  that  condi- 
tions are  ripe  for  the  establishment  of  an  independent 
government  that  will  be  fully  capable  of  maintaining  law 
and  order,  administer  justice,  promote  the  welfare  of  all 
the  inhabitants  of  the  islands,  and  discharge  as  well  its 
international  obligations. 

8.  That  the  Filipino  people  desire  their  independence  at 
this  time,  and  along  with  that  independence  they  confi- 
dently hope  to  preserve  the  bonds  of  good  understanding 
and  friendship  which  bind  them  to  the  United  States,  and 
to  foster  the  free  development  of  commercial  relations 
between  the  two  countries. 

i. 

AMERICA’S  PHILIPPINE  POLICY  HAS  BEEN 
CONSISTENT. 

The  act  of  Congress  of  August  29,  1916,  entitled  “An  act  to 
declare  the  purpose  of  the  people  of  the  United  States  as  to 
the  future  political  status  of  the  people  of  the  Philippine  Is- 
lands and  to  provide  a more  autonomous  government  for  those 
islands,”  said  in  its  preamble: 

Whereas  it  was  never  the  intention  of  the  people  of  the  United  States 
in  the  incipiency  of  the  War  with  Spain  to  make  it  a war  of  con- 
quest or  for  territorial  aggrandizement ; and 
Whereas  it  Is,  as  it  has  always  been,  the  purpose  qf  the  people  of  the 
United  States  to  withdraw  their  sovereignty  over  the  Philippine 
Islands  and  to  recognize  their  independence  as  soon  as  a stable  gov- 
ernment can  be  established  therein ; and 
Whereas  for  the  speedy  accomplishment  of  such  purpose  it  is  desirable 
to  place  in  the  hands  of  the  people  of  the  Philippines  as  large  a 
control  of  their  domestic  affairs  as  can  be  given  them  without,  in  the 
meantime,  impairing  the  exercise  of  the  rights  of  sovereignty  by  the 
people  of  the  United  States  in  order  that,  by  the  use  and  exercise 
of  popular  franchise  and  governmental  powers,  they  may  be  the 
better  prepared  to  fully  assume  the  responsibilities  and  enjoy  all  the 
privileges  of  complete  independence,  etc. 

The  statements  contained  in  the  above  preamble  have  had  the 
effect  of  ratifying  and  giving  concrete  form  to  the  declarations 
which,  ever  since  the  advent  of  American  sovereignty  in  the 
Philippines  up  to  the  enactment  of  said  law,  the  Presidents  of 
the  United  States  and  their  representatives  have  been  making 
concerning  America’s  aim  and  policy  in  the  islands. 

President  McKinley,  at  the  beginning  of  the  Spanish-Ameri- 
can*War,  said: 

Forcible  annexation  can  not  be  thought  of ; that,  according  to  the 
American  code  of  morals,  is  criminal  aggression.  # 

In  President  McKinley’s  instructions  to  the  first  Philippine 
Commission,  on  the  20th  of  January,  1899,  he  expressed  the  hope 
that  these  commissioners  would  be  received  as  bearers  of  “ the 
richest  blessings  of  a liberating  rather  than  a conquering 
Nation.”  . j 

In  his  message  to  Congess  in  the  same  year,  among  other 
things  concerning  the  Philippines,  he  said : 

We  shall  continue,  as  we  have  begun,  to  open  the  schools  and  the 
churches,  to  set  the  courts  in  operation,  to  foster  industry  and  trade 
122370—19489  ^ 


5 


*nd  agriculture,  and  in  every  way  in  our  power  to  make  these  people 
whom  Providence  has  brought  within  our  jurisdiction  feel  that  it  is 
their  liberty  and  not  our  power,  their  welfare  and  not  our  gain,  we  are 
Becking  to  enhance. 

And  again  he  said : 

The  Philippines  are  ours,  not  to  exploit  but  to  develop,  to  civilize,  to 
educate,  to  train  in  the  science  of  self-government.  This  is  the  path  of 
duty  which  wTe  must  follow  or  be  recreant  to  a mighty  trust  committed 
to  us. 

Upon  another  occasion  he  said  : 

We  accepted  the  Philippines  from  high  duty  In  the  interest  of  their 
Inhabitants,  and  for  humanity  and  civilization.  Our  sacrifices  were 
with  this  high  motive.  We  want  to  improve  the  condition  of  the  in- 
habitants, securing  them  peace,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  their  highest 
good. 

In  his  message  to  Congress  in  the  following  year  he  said : 

The  fortune  of  war  has  thrown  upon  this  Nation  an  unsought  trust 
which  should  be  unselfishly  discharged,  and  devolved  upon  this  Gov- 
ernment a moral  as  well  as -material  responsibility  toward  those  millions 
whom  we  have  freed  from  an  oppressive  yoke.  * 

I have  on  another  occasion  called  the  Filipinos  “ the  wards  of  the 
Nation.”  Our  obligation  as  guardian  was  not  lightly  assumed  ; it  must 
not  be  otherwise  than  honestly  fulfilled,  aiming,  first  of  all,,  to  benefit 
those  who  have  come  under  our  fostering  care.  It  is  our  duty  so  to 
treat  them  that  our  flag  may  be  no  less  beloved  in  the  mountains  of 
Luzon  and  the  fertile  zones  of  Mindanao  and  Negros  than  it  is  at  home; 
that  there,  as  here,  it  shall  be  the  revered  symbol  of  liberty,  enlighten- 
ment, and  progress  in  every  avenue  of  development. 

The  Filipinos  arc  a race  quick  to  learn  and  to  profit  by  knowledge. 

In  his  instructions  to  the  second  Philippine  commission  he 
made  the  following  observations : 

In  all  the  forms  of  Government  and  administrative  provisions  which 
they  are  authorized  to  prescribe,  the  commission  should  bear  in  mind 
that  the  Government  which  they  are  establishing  is  designed  not  for 
our  satisfaction  or  for  the  expression  of  our  theoretical  views  but  for 
the  happiness,  peace,  and  prosperity  of  the  people  of  the  Philippine 
Islands. 

President  Taft,  while  Civil  Governor  of  the  Philippine  Islands, 
on  the  17th  of  December,  1903,  said : 

From  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  State  papers  which  were  circu- 
lated in  these  islands  as  authoritative  expressions  of  the  Executive,  the 
motto  that  “ the  Philippines  are  for  the  Filipinos,”  and  that  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  is  here  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  the 
“ Philippines  for  the  Filipinos  ” for  their  benefit,  for  their  elevation, 
for  their  civilization,  again  and  again  and  again  appear. 

And  upon  the  same  occasion,  and  in  response  to  a particularly 
vicious  newspaper  attack  which  was  then  being  made  upon  him 
by  the  American  papers  published  in  the  islands,  he  said : 

Some  of  our  young  lions  of  the  local  press  have  spoken  of  the 
,r childish  slogan,”  “The  Philippines  for  the  Filipinos.”  It  is  unneces- 
sary to  comment  on  the  adjective  used,  but  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that, 
whether  childish  or  not,  the  principle  makes  up  the  web  and  woof  of  the 
policy  of  the  United  States  with  respect  to  these  islands,  as  it  has  been 
authoritatively  declared  by  two  Presidents  of  the  United  States — for 
President  Roosevelt  has  followed  sedulously  the  policy  of  President  Mc- 
Kinley— and  by  the  interpretation  of  the  supreme  popular  will,  the  Con- 
gress of  the  United  States. 

He  points  out  that  the  actions  of  the  President,  as  well  as  his 
instructions,  have  been  expressly  approved  and  ratified  by  an 
act  of  Congress. 

President  Roosevelt,  in  his  message  to  Congress  of  December  « 
G,  1904,  said : 

We  are  endeavoring  to  develop  the  natives  themselves  so  that  they 
shall  take  an  ever-increasing  .share  in  their  own  government,  aud  as  far 
as  is  prudent  we  are  already  admitting  their  representatives  to  a govern- 
mental equality  with  our  own.  * * * If  they  show  that  they  are 
capable  of  electing  a legislature  which  in  its  turn  is  capable  of  taking 
122370—10489 


6 


» Seine  and  efficient  part  in  the  actual  work  of  government,  they  can 
rest  assured  that  a full  and  increasiug  measure  of  recognition  will  be 
given  them. 

And  in  1906  ho  said : 

We  are  constantly  increasing  the  measure  of  liberty  accorded  tho 
islanders,  and  next  spring,  if  conditions  warrant,  wo  shall  take  a great 
Stride  forward  in  testing  their  capacity  for  self-government  by  sum- 
moning tho  first  Filipino  legislative  assembly  ; and  the  way  in  which 
they  stand  this  test  will  largely  determine  whether  the  self-government 
thus  granted  will  be  increased  or  decreased  ; for  if  we  have  erred  at  all 
in  the  Philippines  it  has  been  in  proceeding  too  rapidly  in  the  direction 
oPgranting  a large  measure  of  self-government. 

When  Mr.  Taft  was  Secretary  of  War,  in  the  course  of  a 
special  report  upon  the  Philippines,  he  said : 

Wh£n  they  have  learned  the  principles  of  successful  popular  self- 
government  from  a gradually  enlarged  experience  therein  we  can  discuss 
the  question  whether  independence  is  what  they,  desire  and  grant  it 
or  whether  they  prefer  the  retention  of  a closer  association  with  the 
> country  which,  by  its  guidance,  has  .unselfishly  led  them  on  to  better 
conditions. 

In  a special  report  made  by  Secretary  Taft  on  the  Philippines 
and  their  political  future,  with  special  reference  to  the  policy 
which  had  been  pursuffl  there,  he  said : 

The  -conditions  in  the  islands  to-day  vindicate  and  justify  that  policy. 
It  necessarily  involves  in  its  ultimate  conclusion  as  the  steps  toward 
self-government  become  greater  and  greater  the  ultimate  independence 
of  the  islands,  although,  of  course,  if  both  the  United  States  and  tho 
islands  were  to  continue  a governmental  relation  between  them  like  that 
between  England  and  Australia,  there  would  be  nothing  inconsistent 
With  the  present  policy  in  such  a result. 

Further  on  he  says : 

Thus  far  the  policy  of  the  Philippines  has  worked.  It  has  been  at- 
tacked on  the  ground  that  we  have  gone  too  fast,  that  we  have  given 
the  natives  too  much  power.  The  meeting  of  the  assembly  and  the  con- 
servative tone  of  that  body  thus  far  disclosed  makes  for  our  view 
rather  than  that  of  our  opponents. 

In  1908,  after  the  inauguration  of  the  Philippine  Assembly, 
President  Roosevelt  in  his  message  to  Congress  said : 

Real  progress  toward  self-government  is  being  made  in  the  Philippine 
Islands. 

And  in  referring  to  the  Philippine  Assembly,  he  said : 

Hitherto  this  Philippine  Legislature  has  acted  with  moderation  and 
self-restraint,  and  has  seemed  in  practical  fashion  to  realize  the  eternal 
truth  that  there  must  always  be  government,  and  that  the  only  way 
in  which  any  body  of  individuals  can  escape  the  necessity  of  being 
governed  by  outsiders  is  to  show  that  they  are  able  to  restrain  them- 
selves, to  keep  down  wrongdoing  and  disorder.  The  Filipino  people, 
through  their  officials,  are  therefore  making  real  steps  in  the  direction 
of  self-government.  I hope  and  believe  that  those  steps  mark  the  be- 
ginning of  a course  which  will  continue  till  the  Filipinos  become  fit  to 
decide  for  themselves  whether  they  desire  to  be  an  independent  nation. 

In  a special  message  to  Congress  on  January  27,  1908,  trans- 
mitting a special  report  made  by  Secretary  Taft  on  the  Philip- 
pines, lie  said : 

But  no  great  civilized  power  has  ever  managed  with  such  wisdom  and 
disinterestedness  the  affairs  of  a people  committed  by  the  accident  of 
war  to  its  hands.  Save  only  our  attitude  toward  Cuba.  I question 
whether  there  is  a brighter  page  in  the  annals  of  international  dealings 
between  the  strong  and  the  weak  than  the  page  which  tells  of  our 
doings  in  the  Philippines. 

> Further  oil  he  says : 

The  islanders  have  made  real  advances  in  a hopeful,  direction,  and 
they  have  opened  well  with  the  new  Philippine  Assembly  ; they  have  yet 
a long  way  to  travel  before  they  will  be  fit  for  complete  self-government, 
and  for  deciding,  as  it  will  then  be  their  duty  to  do,  whether  this  self- 
government  shall  be  accompanied  by  complete  independence. 

122370— 1SHS9 


7 


Former  Governor  General  James  F.  Smith,  in  an  article  en- 
titled “.The  Philippines  as  I saw  them,”  published  in  the  Sunset 
Magazine  of  December,  1911,  said : 

The  holding  of  the  Philippines,  not  for  selfish  exploitation  but  as  a 
sacred  trust  for  the  benefit  of  those  residing  in  them,  the  establishment 
of  a government,  not  for  our  satisfaction  or  for  the  expression  of  our 
theoretica-1  views  but  for  the  happiness,  peace,  and  prosperity  of  the 
Filipino  people,  the  evolution  of  a government  by  Americans  assisted 
by  Filipinos,  into  a government  of  Filipinos  assisted  by  Americans,  and 
the  education  and  preparation  of  the  people  for  popular  self-government 
was  the  broad  policy  of  President  McKinley,  of  President  Roosevelt,  of 
Governor  Taft,  of  Governor  General  Wright,  of  Governor  General  Ide, 
and  of  all  their  successors.  It  is  the  policy  to-day,  and  its  continuance 
will,  I believe,  bring  the  Filipino  race  happy  and  contented  to  the  realiza- 
tion of  its  hopes  and  ideal  rarely  attained,  rarely  enjoyed,  save  through 
blood  and  tears. 

After  Secretary  Taft  was  elected  President,  in  a message  to 
Congress,  delivered  on  December  6,  1912,  lie  said : 

We  should  * * * endeavor  to  secure  for  the  Filipinos  economic 
independence  and  to  fit  them  for  complete  self-government,  with  the 
power  to  decide  eventually,  according  to  their  own  largest  good,  whether 
such  self-government  shall  be  accompanied  by  independence. 

Secretary  Stimson,  in  bis  annual  report  of  1912,  said : 

The  policy  of  the  United  States  was  definitely  and  materially  declared 
in  the  instructions  of  President  McKinley  to  the  Philippine  Commission 
of  April  7,  1900,  and  it  has  never  been  departed  from  since.  It  is  con- 
tained in  every  step  of  the  'consistent  progress  of  our  insular  govern- 
ment. President  McKinley’s  statement  was  expressly  and  affirmatively 
confirmed  by  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  in  the  organic  act  for 
the  Philippine  Government  of  July  1,  1902.  Briefly,  this  policy  may  be 
expressed  as  having  for  its  sole  object  the  preparation  of  the  Philippine 
people  for  popular  self-government  in  their  own  interest  and  in  the 
interest  of  the  United  States  * * *. 

The  postponement  of  the  question  of  independence  for  the  islands  has 
been  deliberately  made,  not  for  promoting  our  interests,  but  solely  in 
order  to  enable  that  momentous  question  to  be  determined  intelligently 
by  the  Philippine  people  in  the  light  of  their  own  highest  interest. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  1913,  President  Taft  adverted  to  the 
Democratic  platform  -with  reference  to  the  Philippines  and 
quoted  that  portion  of  it  which  referred  to  the  purpose  of  the 
United  States  to  “ recognize  the  independence  of  the  Philippine 
Islands  as  soon  as  a stable  government  can  be  established,  and 
said  that  this  was  “ an  affirmation  of  policy  only  slightly  differ- 
ing from  that  repeatedly  announced  by  this  and  preceding  Repub- 
lican administrations.” 

Governor  General  W.  Cameron  Forbes,  in  his  farewell  speech 
before  leaving  the  islands,  made  the  statement  “ that  the  plat- 
forms of  both  parties  reached  the  same  general  conclusion  in 
regard  to  the  granting  of  independence  when  a stable  govern- 
ment should  be  established.”  He  subsequently,  in  a published 
speech  in  this  country,  correcipd  this  statement  to  the  extent  of 
substituting  the  word  “ policies  ” for  the  word  “ platforms.” 
Upon  the  present  administration  coming  into  authority  here, 
the  President  authorized  Governor  General  Harrison,  in  his 
opening  address,  to  make  the  following  statement: 

We  regard  ourselves  as  trustees,  acting,  not  for  the  advantage  of  the 
United  States  but  for  the  benefit  of  the  people  of  the  Philippine  Islands. 
Every  step  we  take  will  be  taken  with  a view  to  the  ultimate  inde- 
pendence of  the  islands  and  as  a preparation  for  that  independence,  and 
we  hope  to  move  toward  that  end  as  rapidly  as  the  safety  and  the  per- 
manent interests  of  the  islands  will  permit.  After  each  step  taken 
experience  will  guide  us  to  the  next.  The  administration  will  take  one 
step  at  once,  and  it  will  give  to  the  native  citizens  of  the  islands  a 
majority  in  the  appointive  commission,  and  thus  in  the  upper  as  well  as 
in  the  lower  house  of  the  legislature  a majority  representation  will  be 
122370 — 194S9 


8 


secured  to  them.  We  do  this  in  the  confident  hope  and  expectation  that 
immediate  proof  will  be  given  in  the  action  of  the  commission  under 
the  new  arrangement  of  the  political  capacity  of  those  native  citizens 
who  have  already  come  forward  to  represent  and  to  lead  their  people 
in  affairs. 

President  Wilson,  in  his  message  to  Congress  delivered  on 
December  2,  1913,  said : 

* * * Porto  Rico,  Hawaii,  the  Philippines  arc  ours,'  Indeed,  but 

not  ours  to  do  what  we  please  with.  Such  territories,  once  regarded-  as 
mere  possessions,  are  no  longer  to  be  selfishly  exploited  ; they  are  part 
of  the  domain  of  public  conscience  and  of  serviceable  and  enlightened 
• statesmanship.  We  must  administer  them  for  the  people  who  live  in 
them  and  with  the  same  sense  of  responsibility  to  them  as  toward  our 
own  people  in  our  domestic  affairs.  No  doubt  we  shall  successfully 
enough  bind  Porto  Rico  and  the  Hawaiian  Islands  to  ourselves  by  ties  » 
of  justice  and  interest  and  affection,  but  the  performance  of  our  duty 
toward  the  Philippines  is  a more  difficult  and  debatable  matter.  Wc 
can  satisfy  the  obligations  of  generous  justice  toward  the  people  of 
Porto  Rico'  by  giving  them  the  ample  and  familiar  rights  and  privileges 
accorded  our  own  citizens  in  our  own  Territories  and  our  obligations 
toward  the  people  of  Hawaii  by  perfecting  the  provisions  for  self- 
government  already  granted  them,  but  in  the  Philippines  wo  must  go 
further.  We  must  hold  steadily  in  view  their  ultimate  independence, 
and  we  must  move  toward  the  time  of  that  independence  as  steadily 
as  the  way  can  be  cleared  and  the  foundations  thoughtfully  and  per- 
manently laid.  - — 

Acting  under  the  authority  conferred  upen  the  President  by  Congress, 

I have  already  accorded  the  people  of  the  islands  a majority  in  both 
houses  of  their  legislative  body  by  appointing  five  instead  of  four  native 
citizens  to  the  membership  of  the  commission.  I believe  that  In  this 
way  we  shall  make  proof  of  their  capacity  in  counsel  and  their  sense 
of  responsibility  in  the  exercise  of  political  power,  and  that  the  success 
of  this  step  will  be  sure  to  clear  our  view  for  the  steps  which  arc  to 
follow.  Step  by  step  we  should  extend  and  perfect  the  system  of  self- 
government  in  the  islands,'  making  test  of  them  and  modifying  them 
as  experience  discloses  their  successes  and  their  failures  ; so  that  we 
should  more  and  more  put  under  the  control  of  the  native  citizens  of 
the  archipelago  the  essential  instruments  of  their  life,  their  local  instru- 
mentalities of  government,  their  schools,  all  the  common  interests  of 
their  communities,  and  so  by  counsel  and  experience  set  up  a govern- 
ment which  all  the  world  will  see  to  be  suitable  to  a people  whose  affairs 
are  under  their  control.  At  last,  I hope  and  believe,  we  are  beginning  to 
gain  the  confidence  of  the  Filipino  people.  By  tneir  counsel  and  ex- 
perience. rather  than  by  our  own,  we  shall  learn  how  best  to  serve 
them  and  how  soon  it  will  be  possible  and  wise  to  withdraw  our  super- 
vision. Let  us  once  find  the  path  and  set  out  with  firm  and  confident 
tread  upon  it  and  we  shall  not  wander  from  it  nor  linger  upon  it. 

In  another  message  to  Congress,  delivered  on  December  8, 

1914,  he  said : 

There  Is  another  great  piece  of  legislation  which  awaits  and  should 
receive  the  sanction  of  the  Senate : I mean  the  bill  which  gives  a 
larger  measure  of  self-government  to  the  people  of  the  Philippines.  How 
better,  in  this  time  of  anxious  questioning  and  perplexed  policy,  could 
we  show  our  confidence  in  the  principles  of  liberty  as  the  source  as 
well  as  the  expression  of  life,  how  better  could  we  demonstrate  our  own 
self-possession  and  steadfastness  in  the  courses  of  justice  and  disin- 
terestedness than  by  thus  going  calmly  forward  to  fulfill  our  promises 
to  a dependent  people,  who  will  now  look  more  anxiously  than  over  to 
see  whether  we  have  indeed  the  liberality,  the  unselfishness,  the  courage, 
the  faith  we  have  boasted  and  professed.  I can  not  believe  yiat  the 
Senate  will  let  this  great  measure  of  constructive  justice  await  the 
action  of  another  Congress.  Its  passage  would  nobly  crown  the  record 
of  these  two  years  of  memorable  labor. 

And  in  liis  message  to  Congress  delivered  on  December  7, 

1915,  lie  said : 

There  is  another  matter  which  seems  to  me  to  be  very  intimately 
associated  with  the  question  of  national  safety  and  preparation  for  de- 
fense. That  is  our  policy  toward  the  Philippines  and  the  people  of 
Porto  Rico.  Our  treatment  of  them  and  their  attitude  toward  us  are 
manifestly  of  the  first  consequence  in  the  development  of  our  duties  in 
the  world  and  in  getting  a free  hand  to  perform  those  duties.  We  must 
be  free  from  every  unnecessary  burden  or  embarrassment,  and  there 
122370—19489  ' 


Is  no  tetter  way  To  be  clear  of  embarrassment  than  to  fulfill  our 
promises  anrl  promote  the  interests  of  those  dependent  on  us  to  the 
utmost.  Bills  for  the  alteration  and  reform  of  the  government  of  the 
Philippines  and  for  rendering  fuller  political  justice  to  the  people  of 
Porto  Rico  were  submitted  to  the  Sixty-third  Congress.  They  will  be 
submitted  also  to  you.  I need  not  particularize  their  details.  You  are 
most  of  you  already  familiar  with  them.  But  I do  recommend  them  to 
your  early  adoption  with  the  sincere  conviction  that  there  are  few 
measures  you  could  adopt  which  would  more  serviceably  clear  the  way 
for  the  great  policies  by  which  we  wish  to  make  good,  now  and  always, 
our  right  to  lead  in  enterprises  of  peace  and  good  will  and  economic  and 
political  freedom. 

In  the  January,  1915,  number  of.  Everybody’s  Magazine  ex- 
President  Roosevelt  indorsed  this  contention,  and  said : 

If  we  act  so  that  the  natives  understand  us  to  have  made  a definite 
promise,  then  we  should  live  up  to  that  promise.  The  Philippines,  from 
a military  standpoint,  are  a source  of  weakness  to  us.  The  present 
administration  has  promised  explicitly  to  let  them  go,  and  by  its  action 
has  rendered  it  difficult  to  hold  them  against  any  serious  foreign  foe. 
These  being  the  circumstances,  the  islands  should  at  an  early  moment 
be  given  their  independence,  without  any  guaranty  whatever  by  us  and 
without  our  retaining  any  foothold  in  them. 

As  stated  at  the  outset,  all  of  the  preceding  statements  were 
finally  adopted  or  ratified  by  the  Congress  by  the  passage  on 
August  29,  1916,  of  the  law  generally  known  as  the  Jones  law, 

In  view  of  the  documents'  above  quoted,  of  the  official  state- 
ments made  by  the  eoDStitutional  representatives  of  the  Ameri- 
can people,  and  of  the  steps  taken  in  accordance  with  thosfe 
statements,  the  policy  of  the  United  States  in  the  Philippines 
appears  to  be  clearly  defined,  namely,  that  it  has  never  been 
nor  is  it  the  purpose  of  the  United  States  to  retain  possession 
of  the  Philippine  Islands  for  exploitation  and  self-aggrandize- 
ment, but  rather  for  the  welfare,  education,  and  liberty  of  thei.r 
inhabitants;  that  the  government  therein  established  is  de- 
signed not  for  the  satisfaction  or  for  the  expression  of  the 
theoretical  views  of  the  American  people,  but  the  training  of  thp 
Filipinos  in  the  science  of  self-government  by  means  of  gradual 
participation  in  the  administration  of  their  own  affairs ; thaif: 
when  the  Filipinos  shall  have  learned  the  principles  of  popular 
self-government,  then  it  is  for  them  to  decide  whether  they 
should  be  independent  or  remain  under  The  sovereignty  of  the 
United  States ; and,  finally,  that  it  is  the  purpose  of  the  Govern- 
ment of  thn  United  States  to  grant  the  Filipinos  their  complete 
independence  as  soon  as  a stable  government  can  be  established 
in  the  islands. 

As  has  been  indicated,  President  McKinley  originally  out- 
lined this  policy,  which  Mr.  Taft  so  happily  summed  up  in  his 
immortal  phrase,  “ the  Philippines  for  the  Filipinos.”  Such  a 
policy  has  been  faithfully  observed  by  his  successors  in  office 
and  carried  on  by  the  present  administration  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  Filipinos  have  been  afforded  an  opportunity  to  show 
-that  they  are  in  fact  able  to  exercise  the  duties  and  powers  of  a 
popular,  complete  self-government.  * 

In  view  of  the  foregoing  considerations  there  remains  nothing 
to  be  determined,  in  accordance  with  the  avowed  policy  of  the 
United  States  above  adverted  to,  but  the  following  points : 

1.  Whether  the  Filipinos  have  met  the  requirements  pre- 
scribed in  the  act  of  Congress  of  August  29,  1916 ; that  is  to  say, 
whether  they  have  show.n  that  they  are  sufficiently  prepared  to 
Ostablish  an  independent,  stable  government. 

2.  Whether  the  Filipinos  prefer  independence  to  any  other 
political  status  or  condition. 

122370 — 19489 


10 

II. 


THERE  EXISTS  A STABLE  GOVERNMENT  IN  THE 
PHILIPPINES. 

This  chapter  is  devoted  to  an  account  of  the  work  done  by 
the  Filipinos  ever  since  they  have  been  allowed  to  take  an  active 
part  in  the  affairs  of  their  government,  and  particularly  after 
the  establishment  of  the  autonomous  government  authorized  by 
the  Jones  law,  with  a view  of  showing  that  conditions  in  the 
islands  are  ripe  for  the  establishment  of  a stable,  independent 
government. 

For  a better  understanding  of  the  subject,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  divide  this  chapter  into  various  sections  and  to  limit  our- 
selves to  the  treatment  of  those  fundamental  elements  which 
constitute  the  foundation  of  a popular  self-government  and 
insure  its  stability  and  development. 

REORGANIZATION  OF  THE  INSULAR  GOVERNMENT. 

The  enactment  of  the  Jones  law,  in  so  far  as  it  gave  the 
Filipinos  a greater  autonomy  in  the  administration  of  their 
public  affairs,  has  put  to  a test  the  degree  of  political  training 
acquired  by  the  Filipinos  under  American  methods  as  well  as 
their  ability  in  the  organization  of  an  efficient  national  gov- 
ernment. From  a study  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Filipinos 
effected  the  reorganization  of  the  insular  government  previ- 
ously existing,  the  principles  followed  by  them,  the  difficulties 
which  they  had  to  overcome,  and  the  results  aimed  at  and 
attained  by  such  reorganization,  we  may  form  an  adequate 
judgment  as  to  whether  they  possess  or  not  the  required  « 

capacity  for  independence. 

This  was  not  the  first  time  in  which  the  Filipinos  attempted 
the  establishment  of  a national  government.  They  have  had 
experience  along  that  line  when  the  revolutionary  congress  at 
Malolos  drafted  a constitution  for  the  short-fived  Phifippine 
Republic  under  the  leadership  of  Aguinaldo  and  proceeded  to 
establish  a government  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  that 
constitution.  We  find,  however,  this  difference : Whereas  at 
that  time  they  had  complete  freedom  of  action  and  could  adopt 
a model  which  seemed  to  them  most  satisfactory,  in  the  reor- 
ganization of  the  insular  government  their  action  was  circum- 
scribed by  the  fundamental  rules  prescribed  by  the  Jones  law. 

This  law  is,  in  fact,  a constitution  granted  by  an  alien  people 
for  the  government  of  another  of  different  race  and  with  dif- 
ferent civilization,  inhabiting  a territory  10,000  miles  away. 
Notwithstanding  the  difficulties  which  thus  obtained  and  the 
restrictions  to  which  they  were  subjected,  the  Filipinos  faced 
the  task  with  courage,  and  reorganized  the  central  government 
in  such  a way  that  it  resulted,  not  in  a mere  copy  of  the  presi- 
dential form  of  goveriynent  of  the  United  States  but  in  a 
system  more  in  harmony  with  the  tendencies  and  reforms 
advocated  by  eminent  American  authorities  on  constitutional 
systems. 

Under  the  system  adopted  by  the  Filipinos,  the  members  of 
the  cabinet  are  responsible  for  their  official  conduct,  not  only 
to  the  Governor  General  but  also  to  the  Philippine  Legislature. 

The  reorganization  act  provides  that  the  secretaries  of  de- 
partment may  be  called  upon  by  any  of  the  two  houses  of  the 
122370— 1T)4S0 


11 


legislature  concerning  any  matter  affecting  their  respective 
departments,  and  they  are  legally  bound  to  appear  before  such 
houses  for  the  purpose  of  giving  such  information  as  may  be 
required  of  them  whenever  the  nature  of  the  matter  permits 
it  and  the  Governor  General  consents  thereto.  They  are  also 
entitled  to  be  heard  by  either  of  the  two  houses  of  the  legis- 
lature for  the  purpose  of  reporting  on  matters  pertaining  to 
their  departments.  In  this  manner  it  was  made  possible  not 
only  to  impose  upon  the  members  of  the  executive  department 
a certain  degree  of  responsibility  to  the  popular  branch  of  the 
government  and,  indirectly,  to  the  people;  but  also  a greater 
harmony  was  thereby  established  between  those  two  branches  of 
the  government.  Ih  this  manner’'  also  the  Governor  General,  who 
is  an  American,  and  is  the  person  authorized  by  law  to  appoint 
the'  members  of  the  cabinet  and  other  higher  officers  of  the  gov- 
ernment, finds  it  necessary  to  consult  the  representative?  of  the 
people  with  regard  to  the  appointments  made  by  him.  The  con- 
sent of  the  senate,  therefore,  is  a real  check  to  any  arbitrary 
act  of  the  executive. 

In  order  to  insure  better  harmony  between  the  executive  and 
the  legislative  departments  of  the  government,  there  has  also 
been  created  a body  known  as  the  council  of  state,  the  duties 
of  which  are  to  aid  and  advise  the  governor  general  on  public 
matters.  This  body  is  composed  of  the  governor  general,  the 
presidents  of  both  houses  of  the  legislature,  the  members  of  the 
cabinet,  and  such  other  members  as  the  governor  general  may 
appoint.  The  constitution  of  the  council  of  state  promises  to 
solve  the  problem  of  responsible  leadership  in  our  government. 
It  may  not  only  avoid  violent  conflicts  which  might  occur  be- 
tween the  executive  and  the  legislative  branches  of  the  govern- 
ment, but  it  also  enables  the  people  to  fix  the  responsibility  for 
the  conduct  and  administration  of  public  affairs.  The  council 
of  state  has  also  the  advantage  of  permitting  the  governor  gen- 
eral to  look  to  it  for  counsel  concerning  local  and  interna- 
tional matters  of  vital  importance  to  the  country.  There  can 
be  no  question  as  to  the  usefulness  of  the  council  of  state,  and 
the  role  which  it  plays  in  matters  concerning  the  government 
gives  to  the  latter  that  unity  of  action  which  is  at  once  har- 
monious, effective,  and  responsible — ah  element  so  necessary 
and  essential  to  the  regular  and  orderly  course  of  public  affairs. 

Among  the  reforms  made'  by  the  legislature  after  the  passage 
of  the  Jones  law  was  the  adoption  of  a budget  system  in  the 
financial  operations  of  the  government.  The  adoption  of  this 
system  has  cured  the  deficiencies  arising  out  of  a lack  of  a 
systematic  plan  in  the  expenditure  of  public  funds.  Under  the 
former  system,  which  was  quite  analogous  to  the  one  still  ob- 
taining in  the  United  States,  there  was  no  fixed  responsibility 
for  the  preparation  and  submission  of  appropriation  bills.  Each 
bureau  of  the  government  prepared  its  estimates  and  sent  the 
same  to  the  legislature  through  the  executive  secretary.  The 
executive  secretary  had  neither  the  power  of  revision  nor  of 
coordination,  but  his  task  was  confined  to  the  compilation  of 
all  the  estimates,  and  to  the  transmission  of  the  same  in  their 
original  form  to  the  legislature.  Under  such  a system  each 
bureau,  without  taking  into  account 'the  needs  of  the  other 
bureaus,  merely  tried  to  ask  for  and  obtain  the  most  it  could 
122370—19480 

, A 


12 


possibly  obtain,  and  its  success  or  lack  of  success  in  this  re- 
spect depended  on  whether  or  not  it  had  the  sympathy  of,  or 
could  exercise  a greater  or  less  influence  on,  the  members  of 
the  legislature.  The  result  of  this  system  was  a costly  bu- 
reaucracy and  an  unnecessary  duplication  in  the  work  and 
activities  of  the  government.  All  of  these  deficiencies  were 
cured  by  the  introduction  of  the  budget  system,  and  its  results 
have  more  than  justified  its  adoption. 

The  secretary  of  finance  is  charged  with  the  duty  of  prepar- 
ing the  budget  after  the  estimates  have  been  approved  by  the 
different  secretaries  of  department.  The  budget  is  then  sub- 
mitted to  the  cabinet  for  discussion  and  adoption,  and  once  ap- 
proved it  is  ordered  printed  and  then  submitted  to  the  legisla- 
ture for  its  action.  Under  this  system  it  is  not  only  possible 
to  know  and  carry  out  a systematic  plan  in  the  expendituf’b  of 
public  funds,  but  effective  and  united  action  on  the  part  of  the 
cabinet  is  also  insured.  The  expenses  of  the  different  depart- 
ments are  coordinated  and  simplified  and  a proper  distribution 
of  appropriations  among  them  is  effected.  Through  this  system 
the  public  enjoys  the  unusual  advantage  of  knowing  in  whole 
and  in  detail  the  different  purposes  to  which  the  money  which 
they  pay  in  taxes  and  imposts  is  devoted.  In  practice  the  sys- 
tem has  resulted  in  materially  reducing  the  number  of  appro- 
priation bills  for  each  year,  which,  in  191G,  when  the  former 
system  was  in  vogue,  amounted  to  37  laws. 

It  is  generally  admitted  that  the  adoption  of  the  budget  sys- 
tem marks  a decided  improvement  over  the  old  system  and  is 
considered  as  one  of  the  greatest  achievements  of  the  Filipino 
people.  It  has  placed  the  Philippines,  to  use  the  words  of 
•Governor  General  Harrison,  “among  the  foremost  progressive 
nations  in  fiscal  legislation.” 

The  speaker  of  the  house  of  representatives,  Hon.  Sergio 
Osmena,  has  clearly  explained  the  scope  and  object  of  the  reor- 
ganization of  the  insular  government  in  the  following  terras : 

This  legislature,  the  first  organized  under  the  auspices  of  the  new 
law  and  inaugurated  on  October  10,  1916,  Is  imbued  Jointly  with  the 
new  impulses  of  liberty  and  democracy,  with  the  highest  sense  of 
order  and  responsibility.  Thus  it  has  respected  established  institu- 
tions and  retained  government  practice  in  so  far  as  compatible  with 
the  changes  necessary.  It  has  equally  shunned  the  influence  of  unsafe 
reforms  adopted  in  a foolhardy  manner  and  the  puerile  timidity  that 
hinders  all  constructive  work,  and  the  country  has  assumed  the  pleni- 
tude of  the  powers  recognized  by  law.  The  examination  of  the  structure 
of  the  government  authorized  by  the  Jones  act  has  been  calm  and 
minute.  It  has  been  compared  with  that  of  the  governments  of  other 
countries.  Entering  without  hesitancy  upon  the  vast  field  of  theory 
and  practice  of  the  best  governments  of  the  world,  the  Filipino  Nation 
has  had  an  opportunity  to  make  new  use  of  its  old  maturity  of  judg- 
ment, of  its  acknowledged  self-control,  adjusting  the  flights  of  its 
mind  anxious  of  innovations  to  the  constitutional  limitations  and  the 
real  needs  of  our  own  life  and  conditions. 

One  of  the  points  brought  up  concerned  the  relations  of  the  execu- 
tive to  the  legislature.  The  scope  of  these  relations  under  the  presi- 
dential regime  and  of  those  generally  found  under  the  parliamentary 
system  has  been  investigated.  

Neither  of  these  two  systems  has  been'adbpted  definitely;  but  though 
recognizing  that  the  organic  law  retains  certain  notable  features  of 
the  presidential  regime,  the  Filipinos  have  not  given  uif  the  idea  of 
improving  and  perfecting  the  system  implanted  by  the  law  referred  to. 
Within  the  bounds  of  tfie  existing  constitutional  limitations  certain 
touches  have  been  given  to  our  political  institutions  which  give  them  a 
character  all  their  own. 

In  the  first  place,  the  executive  departments  have  been  reorganized. 
In  lieu  of  the  system  of  indefinite  tenure  of  the  departmental  officers 
122370— 194S9 


13 


/ 


formerly  in  vogue,  the  theory  of  periodical  changes  has  been  adopted. 
Every  three  years  the  atmosphere  of  the  executive  department  is  to  be 
renewed  at  the  same  time  when  the  personnel  of  the  legislature  changes 
in  accordance  with  the  results  of  the  last  general  election.  And  once 
the  democratic  influence  of  the  government  is  thus  assured,  the  legis- 
lature throws  its  doors  open  to  the  department  secretaries  who,  in- 
stead of  privately  goiDg  to  the  office  of  the  various  committees,  may 
if  they  so  prefer  demand  the  right  to  he  heard  publicly  in  the  session 
hall  of  either  house. 

This  first  step  has  not  been  taken  without  a conscientious  considera- 
tion of  the  basic  principles  of  the  American  Government  system  upon 
which  the  United  States  Congress  has  modeled  ours.  Ostensibly  the 
Philippine  Legislature,  which  has  approved  the  departmental  rcorgani- 
•zation  law,  has  started  out  with  the  purpose  of  coordinating  and  har- 
monizing the  powers  of  the  State,  instead  of  separating  and  scattering 
them. 

In  speaking  of  the  budget  system,  lie  further  says: 

It  inaugurates  a regime  of  publicity  and  places  each  powTer  of  the 
State  within  its  own  sphere  of  responsibility.  It  puts  the  finances 
of  the  government  on  an  approved  commercial  basis  and  joins  the 
direct  examination  of  the  necessities  of  the  country  with  the  authority 
and  duty  to  disburse  the  public  funds  in  an  economic  and  efficient 
manner.  It  makes  the  department  heads  more  responsible  to  the  legis- 
lature and  the  people.  It  frustrates  any  attempt  to  est.fblish  a vicious 
kind  of  legislation  not  demanded  by  public  interest  known  elsewhere 
as  log-rolling  and  pork  barrel.  It  maintains  the  legislature  in  a sphere 
of  dignity  and  control,  while  it  stays  the  hand  of  an  arbitrary  chief 
executive  ready  to  make  improper  use  of  the  veto  power.  But  what  is 
more  important  than  all  this,  it  preserves  fresh  and  pure  the  constitu- 
tional intelligence  between  the  several  powers  of  the  State  and  between 
tho  government  and  the  people  ; it  prevents  the  useless  expenditure  of 
energy  by  disagreement  and  friction,  preserves  stability,  and  prepares 
the  organs  of  the  government  to  be  constantly  ready  for  orderly,  prompt, 
and  efficient  action. 

"thb  progress  op  local  governments. 

The  municipal  and  provincial  governments,  constituting  as 
they  do  political  units  of  the  Philippine  Government,  furnish 
positive  proofs  of  the  political  capacity  of  the  Filipino  people, 
inasmuch  as  these  governments,  the  success  of  which  is  mani- 
fest, are  controlled  by  Filipinos.  From  tire  beginning  it  was 
deemed  advisable  to  place  the  management  of  municipal  affairs 
in  the  hands  of  officials  chosen  by  the  people  of  the  municipali- 
ties concerfied.  The  growing  notable  success  of  local  govern- 
ments has  made  imperative  the  adoption  of  all  measures  which 
safeguard  and  increase  the  autonomy  exercised  by  such  gov- 
ernments. Provincial  officers,  which  were  originally  appointive, 
were  made  elective.  The  provincial  board,  which  constitutes 
the  legislative  body  of  the  Province,  was  formerly  composed  of 
an  elective  provincial  governor,  an  appointive  provincial  treas- 
urer, and  an  elective  third  member.  I?y  virtue  of  act  No.  2501  of 
the  Philippine  Legislature,  approved  February  5,  1915,  the  pro- 
vincial treasurer  ceased  to  be  a member  of  the  provincial  hoard, 
and  the  Governor  Gfeneral  was  authorized  to  appoint  a new 
member  from  among  the  municipal  presidents  in  the  Province. 
Inasmuch  as  municipal  presidents  are  elected  by  popular  vote, 
it  is  clear  that  the  object  of  this  law  was  to  grant  greater 
autonomy  to  provincial  governments  by  eliminating  from  the 
provincial  board  the  only  nonelective  member.  Act  No.  2586 
of  the  Philippine  Legislature,  approved  February,  1916,  went 
even  further  in  the  extension  of  popular  control  over  provincial 
governments  by  providing  that  the  appointive  members  of  the 
provincial  board  shall  be  elected  by  popular  vote.  These  liberal 
reforms  have  reached  not  ouly  the  regularly  organized  Provinces, 
122370—19489 


14 


but  also  the  few  so-called  special  Provinces.  In  1015  the  office 
of  the  third  member  of  the  provincial  boards  of  Mindoro,  Pala- 
wan, and  Batanes  was  made  elective,  and  in  1916  the  office  of 
the  provincial  governor  of  Mindoro  was  likewise  made  elective. 
This  year  a law  was  passed  by  the  Philippine  Legislature  rffaking 
elective  the  office  of  the  provincial  governor  of  Palawan. 

Inasmuch  as  all  of  the  important  offices  of  the  municipal  and 
provincial  governments  are  elective,  and  the  higher  and  direct 
supervision  of  the  same  is  wholly  intrusted  to  Filipino  officiate, 
the  orderly  and  progressive  march  of  such  governments  consti- 
tutes a practical  demonstration  of  the  capacity  and  efficiency  of 
the  government  established  by  the  Filipino  people  in  accordance 
with  the  Jones  law. 

At  the  present  time  all  of  the  provincial  governors,  who  are 
the  chief  executives  of  the  Provinces,  are  Filipinos,  except  the 
governors  of  the  Provinces  of  Cotabato,  Lanao,  and  Sulu,  in  the 
department  of  Mindanao  and  Sulu.  Of  the  46  provincial  treas- 
urers, who  aj-e  the  chief" financial  officers,  38  are  Filipinos,  and 
only  1 is  American.  There  are  30  Filipino  district  engineers 
and  13  Americans.  In  the  municipalities,  with  the  exception  of 
16  American  ex-officio  justices  of  the  peace,  the  local  adminis- 
tration of  justice  is  entirely  intrusted  to  the  Filipinos.  The 
supervision  and  control  over  the  Provinces  and  municipalities 
formerly  exercised  by  the  Governor  General,  through  the  execu- 
tive secretary,  has  now  passed  to  the  secretary  of  the  interior, 
who  acts  in  that  respect  through  the  chief  of  the  executive 
bureau.  Both  officers  are  Filipinos. 

In  order  to  promote  the  free  and  ample  exercise  of  local 
, autonomy,  the  secretary  of  the  interior  and  the  executive  bu- 
reau have  adopted  the  policy  of  not  interfering  with  the  affairs 
of  local  governments,  except  in  cases  where  such  intervention  is 
made  absolutely  necessary. 

Nor  has  progress  been  made  along  political  lines  alone;  but 
Provinces  and  municipalities  also  have  improved  economically. 
In  1913  the  revenues  of  the  municipalities,  towns,  and  settle- 
ments amounted  to  7,152,541  pesos;  in  1917  these  revenues  went 
up  to  11,401,983  pesos.  In  1913  the  total  expenses  of  operation 
of  all  municipalities,  towns,  and  settlements  aggregated  5,869,- 
454  pesos,  while  in  1917  the  amount  totaled  8,696,535  pesos. 

As  the  result  of  the  great  progress  attained  by  the  municipali- 
ties along  political  and  economic  lines,  there  have  been  con- 
structed great  public  improvements,  such  as  roads,  provincial 
and  municipal  buildings,  school  buildings,  bridges,  and  so  forth. 
The  Provinces  and  municipalities  have  also  effectively  con- 
tributed to  the  organization  of  a system  of  provincial  and  muni- 
cipal sanitation,  the  construction  of  wharves,  docks,  piers, 
artesian  wells,  parks,  monuments,  and  so  forth. 

PUBLIC  LAW  AND  ORDER. 

The  first  natural  requisite  of  every  well-organized  political 
society  is  the  maintenance  of  public  law  and  order.  Ever  since 
the  establishment  of  the  Philippine  Assembly  the  general  condi- 
tion of  order  and  peace  throughout  the  Philippines  has  con- 
tinually been  improving  to  the  extent  that  it  can  now  be  safely 
stated  that  the  Philippines  is  one  of  those  countries  of  the 
•world  where  life  and  liberty  are  enjoyed  with  the  greatest 
122370—19480 


15 


order  and  safety.  By  temperment  the  Filipino  people  are 
peaceful  and  abhor  tumult  and  disorder. 

Perfect  order  and  peace  prevail  throughout  the  Archipelago, 
including  the  Territory  of  Mindanao  and  Sulu.  The  mainte- 
nance of  public  order  in  territories  inhabited  by  Moros  has 
always  been  a problem  of  grave  concern  to  many.  When  for 
the  first  time  an  attempt  was  made  to  place  a person  from  civil 
life  at  the  head  of  the  government  of  Mindanao  and  Sulu  it 
was  believed  that  public  order  would  be  endangered.  No  dis- 
turbance has,  however,  occurred,  and  the  normal  life  of  the  in- 
habitants was  not  altered.  Moros  and  Christians  came  into 
a more  friendly  union  than  ever  before  and  realized  better 
than  at  any  other  time  the  ties  which  united  them  as  country- 
men. Thanks  to  this  good  understanding,  it  was  possible  and 
easy  to  withdraw  the  American  troops  in,  1917,  when  the 
United  States  found  it  necessary  to  take  part  in  the  Great  War. 
American  soldiers  were  replaced  by  Filipino  soldiers  of  the 
Philippine  Constabulary,  the  latter  even  less  in  number,  with- 
out producing  the  least  disorder. 

C&i.  Ole  Woloe,  chief  of  constabulary  of  the  department  of 
Mindanao  and  Sulu,  in  a m'emorandum  submitted  to  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Interior  under  date  of  November  23,  1918,  says, 
among  other  things : 

‘ For  the  last-  four  years  the  nutnber  of  grave  crimes  occurring  in  the 
Province  of  Zamboanga  have  been  less  than  those  in  the  department's 
most  advanced  Christian  Province  for  the  same  period. 

For  the  years  1908-9,  37  outlaws  were  reported  killed,  captured,  and 
wounded  ; for  1910-11,  28  ; for  1912-13,  40  ; for  1914.  23  ; for  1915,  1 ; 
and  for  1916-17.  none.  This  great  change  from  a spirit  of  outlawry  and 
piracy,  coming  down  from  the  .Spanish  regime,  to  peace  and  industry 
was  brought  about  almost  entirely  by  the  sympathetic  attitude  and 
friendly  interest  of  the  department  government  toward  the  Moros  and 
Pagan  tribes  of  the  Province.  Force  without  limit  had  heeiA  used  for 
300  years,  hut  apparently  w-ith  little,  if  any,  permanent  results. 

The  Moro  is  no  more  the  blood-thirsty,  religious  fanatic  of  a few 
years  ago,  but  is  aiding  us  to  a remarkable  degree  in  maintaining  law 
and  -order.  In  fact,  our  success  in  dealing  with  Moro  outlaws  has  been 
due  almost  entirely  to  the  loyal  support  and  aid  we  have  received  from 
the  great  majority  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  districts  affected.  The 
Moro  is  industrious  and  a good  farmer  to  the  extent  of  . his  agricultural 
knowledge.  He  is  beginning  to  see  the  advantages  of  education,  to 
have  respect  for  his  Christian  brother,  and  he  more  tolerant  in  his 
religious  views.  He  is,  however,  proud  of  his  history  and  loyal  to  his 
religion,  hut  commerce  and  education  are  rapidly  widening  his  horizon. 

Contrary  to  the  prediction  of  the  calamity  howlers,  the  Christian 
Filipino  officers  of  the  constabulary  have  succeeded  completely  in  win- 
ning the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  Moro. 

This  testimony  of  an  American  officer  is  an  eloquent  proof  of 
the  success  of  our  policy  with  regard  to  the  non-Christian  tribes,. 

As  to  the  rest  of  the  islands  an  even  more  perfect  peace  pre- 
vails. When  we  bear  in  mind  that  the  world  was  in  a state  of 
war  and  what  an  auspicious  occasion  such  a condition  offers  to 
agitations  of  all  kinds,  the  fact  that  peace  and  order  remained 
undisturbed  in  the  islands  is  certainly  indicative  of  the  peaceful 
and  loyal  spirit  of  the  Filipino  people. 

The  Filipinos  did  not  only  place  all  their  modest  energies  and 
resources  at  the  service  of  America,  but  with  the  spirit  of  a real 
and  active  community  of  ideals  and  interests  they  resolutely  as- 
sumed the  international  responsibilities  of  that  Nation  in  the 
Philippines.  It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  state  here  that  the 
American  flag  during  all  that  period  of  world  crisis  and  commo- 
tion waived  peacefully  over  the  Philippines,  not  because  it  was 
122370—19489 

• 


1G 


supported  by  a military  power,  for  that  was  withdrawn,  but 
because  of  the  loyal  and  vigilant  attitude  of  the  Filipinos.  No 
longer  is  any  band  of  outlaws  found  in  any  part  of  the  Archi- 
pelago. Neither  is  it  easy  for  such  a band  to  organize  without 
being  detected  by  the  Philippine  constabulary  and  immediately 
suppressed.  The  development  of  agriculture  and  commerce  will 
naturally  induce  every  citizen  to  devote  himself  to  a legitimate 
occupation,  instead  of  indulging  in  the  dangerous  pursuits  of 
outlawry  and  pillager 

From  the  experience  of  these  years  and  the  natufally  orderly 
and  peaceful  temperament  of  the  Filipinos  everything  points  to 
the  belief  that  the  maintenance  of  public  order  will  be  insured 
in  the  Philippines  and  that  a change  of  sovereignty  will  even 
more  firmly  impress  on  the  minds  of  the  Filipino  the  necessity 
for  such  an  orderly  existence. 

Education. 

From  the  beginning  of  American  occupation  of  the  islands  the 
question  of  popular  education  has  commanded  special  attention. 
It  was  not,  however,  until  after  the  establishment  of  the  Philip- 
pine Assembly  that  education  received  the  greatest  impulsg  and 
development,  for  the  first  law  approved  by  the  assembly  was  one 
appropriating  the  sum  of  PI, 000, 000  for  school  buildings  in  the 
different  barrios,  while  the  law  authorizing  the  establishment  of 
the  Univei-sity  of  the  Philippines  was  among  the  first  to  be 
enacted. 

__  The  policy  of  aiding  and  promoting  by  all  possible  means  the 
education  of  every  citizen  has  been  constantly  adhered  to  ever 
since  that  time,  and  now  there  is  hardly  a barrio  of  any  im- 
portance having  a sufficient  number  of  school  childi'en  but  has  a 
primary  school.  Liberal  appi-opriations  have  always  been  made 
for  the  bureau  of  education  and  the  University  of  the  Philip- 
pines. 

It  l'emained,  however,  for  the  present  legislature,  composed  of 
two  elective  houses,  to  finally  solve  and  satisfactorily  settle  the 
question  of  giving  primary  education  to  all  childi-en  of  school 
age,  a question  which  for  many  years  had  been  pending  of  solu- 
tion. On  December  8,  191S,  a law  was  passed  appropriating  the 
sum  of  P30,000,000,  in  addition  to  the  regular  annual  appropria- 
tions for  the  bureau  of  education,  in  order  that  within  the  peidod 
of  five  yeai's  the  plan  of  giving  free  primary  education  to  all 
citizens  of  the  Philippine  Islands  of  school  age  could  be  car- 
ried out. 

Fi’om  1912  to  1918  the  total  number  of  children  in  the  schools 
Increased  from  440,000  to  675,000,  an  increase  of  54  per  cent. 
The  number  of  schools  was  3,000  in.  1912  and  increased  to  4,700 
in  1918.  During  the  same  period  the  number  of  pupils  in  the 
intei-mediate  schools  went  up  to  67,000,  an  increase  of  160  per 
cent.  The  number  of  high-school  students  came  up  to  16,000,  an 
increase  of  220  per  cent.  Voluntai’y  contributions  for  the  main- 
tenance of  schools  and  salary  of  teachers  in  those  municipalities 
having  insufficient  funds  for  the  purpose  have  increased  from 
f*198,000  in  1912  to  P468.000  in  1917. 

Such  an  improvement  in  the  system  of  popular  education, 
both  as  to  quantity  and  quality,  came  hand  in  hand  with  the 
assuiuption  of  greater  responsibilities  by  the  Filipinos.  From 
the  beginning  the  Filipino  teachers  have  had  charge  of  primary 
122370 — 194S9 


IT 


education,  and  they  now  constitute  98  per  cent  of  the  teaching 
force  in  the  intermediate  schools  and  44  per  cent  of  the  teaching 
force  in  the  secondary  schools.  They  have  also  been  given  access 
to  higher  administrative  positions.  Of  the  350  supervising 
teachers  86  per  cent  are  Filipinos  and  the  majority  of  the 
academic  and  industrial  supervisors  are  also  Filipinos.  There 
are  six  Filipino  division  superintendents  of  schools,  and  both  the 
second  assistant  director  of  education  and  the  undersecretary 
of  public  instruction  are  Filipinos. 

The  University  of  the  Philippines  has  kept  abreast  with  the 
spirit  and  development  of  our  public  system.  It  was  opened  in 
190S  with  but  four  colleges,  namely,  the  colleges  of  agriculture, 
veterinary  science,  law,  and  the  school  of  fine  arts.  Later  the 
School  of  Medicine  of  the  Government,  which  was  previously 
.established,  became  a part  of  the  university.  Then  came  the 
establishment  of  the  colleges  of  liberal  arts,  engineering,  phar- 
macy, and  education.  The  plan  of  study  followed  by  the  uni- 
versity is  of  the  most  modern  and  may  be  favorably  compared 
with  that  of  the  best  universities  of  the  world. 

The  following  table  of  enrollment  of  students  in  the  university 
shows  clearly  the  rapid  growth  of  that  institution : 


Year : . Number  of  students. 

1911- 12 1,  400 

1912- 13 1,  398 

1913- 14 1,  503 

1914- 15 2,  075 

1915- 10 2,  401 

1916- 17 2,  975 

1917- 18 2,  871 

1918- 19 3,  081 


The  spirit  which  has  guided  the  Filipinos  in  the  adoption  of 
all  manner  of  measures  for  the  education  of  the  masses  of  peo- 
ple is  sufficiently  indicative  of  the  fact  that  the  Filipinos  fully 
realize  that  popular  education  is  the  real  basis  of  all  democratic 
governments.  They  are  determined  by  all  means  not  only  to 
maintain  the  present  school  system  but  also  to  develop  it  to  the 
highest  possible  degree  in  order  that  the  people  may  exert  the 
power  of  an  intelligent  public  opinion  in  the  running  of  the 
affairs  of  their  government. 

There  are  positive  proofs  to  warrant  the  belief  that  the  ques- 
tion of  popular  education  will  be  adequately  safeguarded  under 
a Philippine  independent  government.  The  people  themselves 
are  clamoring  for  education  and  .there  is  no  need  of  compulsory 
education  laws,  with  the  possible  exception  in  the  case  of  primi- 
tive communities  of  non-Christian  tribes.  The  University  of 
tiie  Philippines  has  already  trained  a nucleus  of  sufficient  num- 
ber of  young  men  in  the  different  branches  of  learning,  many 
of  whom  are  now  holding  responsible  positions  in  public  admin- 
istration. 

In  this  connection  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  advert  to  the  policy 
adopted  by  the  government  several  years  ago,  and  ever  since 
followed,  of  sending  young  men,  graduates  of  the  University  of 
the  Philippines  and  other  educational  institutions  in  the  islands, 
to  the  different  centers  of  learning  in  America,  Europe,  and  other 
foreign  countries,  for  the  purpose  of  furthering  their  studies  and 
thereafter  serve  the  government  for  the  same  number  of  years 
in  which  they  have  enjoyed  government  scholarship.  This  policy 
has  been  recently  extended  to  those  employees  of  government 
122370 — 19489 2 


18 


offices  who  have  demonstrated  unusual  talent  and  efficiency  in 
the  performance  of  their  official  duties,  thus  enabling  them  to 
make  a special  study  in  connection  with  their  respective  wo»k. 

It  is  thus  seen  that  the  Government  has  spared  neither  efforts 
nor  money  in  the  preparation  of  a competent  personnel  to  take 
the  place  of  the  American  experts  who  are  leaving  the  public 
service.  It  is  hoped  that  in  this  way  it  will  be  possible  not 
only  to  maintain  but  to  lift  up,  if  possible,  the  high  standards 
of  public  service  in  the  country. 

SANITATION. 

The  sanitation  of  the  islands  has  been  greatly  improved.  In 
1914  the  Philippine  Legislature  reorganized  the  health  service 
in  order  to  insure  greater  efficiency  and  the  cooperation  of  the 
Provinces  and  municipalities  in  matters  of  public  healths 

Under  the  ol<J  system  the  salaries  of  municipal  health  officers 
were  paid  by  the  'municipalities,  and  only  those  which  could 
afford  to  pay  obtained  the  services  of  physicians.  Such  as 
could  not  afford  to  pay  employed  sanitary  inspectors,  who  fre- 
quently did  not  have  medical  knowledge.  Thus  many  towns 
were  without  the  services  of  a qualified  physician.  Again, 
under  that  system  there  were  no  differences  of  rank  in  the 
service  and  health  officers  remained  in  the  service  without  any 
chance  of  promotion.  There  was  no  law  compelling  the  munici- 
palities to  devote  a part  of  their  funds  to  sanitation.  For 
these  reasons  it  was  deemed  ilbcessary  to  reorganize  the  old 
bureau  of  health  and  convert  it  into  the  Philippine  Health 
Service. 

This  service  is  somewhat  similar  to  the  Public  Health  Service 
of  the  United  States,  in  that  a physician  must  pass  an  exami- 
nation before  being  appointed  to  the  service,  and  after  a certain 
number  of  years  he  is  given  another  examination  for  the  pur- 
pose of  promotion.  The  positions  in  the  service  are  graded.  A 
physician  who  starts  as  assistant  surgeon  is  promoted,  first,  to 
the  grade  of  junior  surgeon,  then  to  that  of  senior  surgeon, 
medical  inspector,  and  chief  of  division.  The  work  of  the 
central  office  is  distributed  among  the  director  of  the  health 
service  and  the  chiefs  of  divisions.  There  is  an  assistant  di- 
rector, who  is  at  the  same  time  a chief  of  division.  There  arc 
three  divisions — one  for  the  provincial  service,  another  for  the 
hospital  service,  and  still  another  for  the  health  service  of  the 
city  of  Manila. 

In  order  that  each  and  every  municipality  may  have  the  bene- 
fit of  the  services  of  a physician,  the  different  Provinces  com- 
bine two  or  more  small  municipalities  and  place  them  under 
the  care  of  a municipal  physician.  These  groups  of  municipali- 
ties are  called  sanitary  districts.  The  municipal  physician  is 
required  to  distribute  his  time  among  the  different  towns  in 
making  inspection  and  receiving  consultations;  but  even  with 
such  an  arrangement  some  of  the  most  remote  places  in  the 
Mountain  and  Moro  Provinces  could  not  have  obtained  the 
service  of  a physician  if,  in  order  to  supply  this  deficiency,  dis- 
pensaries were  not  opened  under  the  care  of  competent  persons, 
where  the  public  may  obtain  medicine  and  receive  medical  treat- 
ment. At  the  present  time  even  the  most  remote  places  have 
health  facilities  which  they  could  not  obtain  10  years  ago. 

122370—19489 


19 


Manila  may  be  said  to  be  the  most  sanitary  city  in  the  Far 
East  and  will  bear  comparison  with  many  of  the  cities  of  the 
United  States  and  Europe.  The  streets  have  been  widened 
and  improved  and  the  majority  of  them  have  asphalt  pavement. 
The  danger  of  smallpox,  the  terror  of  oriental  countries,  which 
previously  has  been  menacing  the  islands  with  regular  fre- 
quency, has  been  reduced  to  an  insignificant  degree.  Since  1902 
no  cholera  epidemic  has  attained  any  serious  proportion.  Ma- 
laria is  now  unknown  in  Manila.  Many  of  the  swamp  districts 
have  been  filled  up. 

Quite  a number  of  municipalities  have  followed  the  example 
of  Manila,  and  there  are  now  at  least  10  cities  which  have 
modern  water  systems.  In  those  towns  where  the  construction 
of  reservoirs  has  been  found  impracticable  artesian  wells  were 
drilled  in  order  to  supply  the  public  with  pure  water. 

Charitable  activities,  such  as  the  organization  of  antituber- 
culosis societies  and  societies  for  the  protection ' of  children, 
have  acquired  new  vigor  during  the  last  few  years.  There  is 
now  in  the  islands  the  public  welfare  board,  subsidized  by  the 
Government,  the  duty  of  which  is  to  coordinate  the  work  of 
charitable  institutions  and  to  contribute  to  their  funds  for  the 
accomplishment  of  their  purposes.  The  sum  of  PI, 000, 000 
has  been  appropriated  in  order  to  help  the  municipalities  in 
the  establishment  of  associations  for  the  protection  of  children. 

The  Culion  leper  colony  has  been  maintained  and  liberally 
supplied  with  funds.  The  opposition  on  the  part  of  those  who  suf- 
fer from  the  disease  and  their  families  to  the  confinement  of  the 
former  to  the  colony  has  disappeared,  and  now  many  a diseased 
person  voluntarily  presents  himself  to  be  taken  to  the  colony. 

The  quarantine  service  has  also  been  maintained  not  only 
with  efficiency,  but  has  been  supplied  with  modern  equipments. 

Hospital  service  has  undergone  great  improvement.  The 
Philippine  General  Hospital  at  Manila  is  one  of  the  best  hospitals 
in  the  Orient.  The  Filipinization  of  its  personnel  was  effected 
without  impairing  its  efficiency.  Schools  for  nurses  of  both 
sexes  are  maintained  both  in  this  hospital  and  in  that  of  Cebu, 
which  has  been  recently  opened. 

It  would  not  be  too  much  to  say  that  the  sanitation  of  the 
Philippines  will  be  as  well  taken  care  of  by  the  Filipinos  as 
formerly,  and  the  Filipino  health  officers,  possessing  as  they  do  a 
better  knowledge  of  the  peculiar  habits  and  needs  of  their  own 
people,  will  be  able  to  perform  their  duties  both  with  efficiency 
and  credit,  not  only  to  themselves  but  also  to  those  who  have 
helped  them  in  preparing  for  greater  responsibilities. 

ECONOMIC  PROGRESS. 

The  passage  of  the  Jones  law  has  given  rise  to  the  belief  on  the 
part  of  some  people  that  the  material  progress  of  the  islands 
would  suffer  a setback.  Facts  have  shown  just  the  contrary. 
The  declaration  of  the  purpose  of  the  United  States  to  grant 
the  Philippines  its  independence  as  soon  as  a stable  govern- 
ment shall  have  been  organized  therein,  and  the  practically 
complete  control  of  public  affairs  given  to  the  Filipinos  have 
not  only  not  caused  any  economic  crisis  but  have  gone  far 
toward  placing  the  economic  life  of  the  country  on  stronger 
foundations.  The  last  five  years  have  witnessed  the  greatest 
122370— 194S9 


20 


prosperity  and  the  highest  economic  development  the  islands 
ever  had.  Of  the  total  foreign  trade  in  the  Philippines  in  1918, 
which  amounted  to  1*468,563,496,  as  against  ¥*215,391,484  In 
1913,  63.4  per  cent  was  with  the  United  States,  as  against 
42.65  per  cent  in  1913.  This  fact  goes  to  show  that  the  estab- 
lishment of  an  autonomous  Philippine  government  preparatory 
to  independence  has  served  to  strengthen  the  commercial  bonds 
between  the  United  States  and  the  Philippines.  Mutual  confi- 
dence and  understanding  has  brought  about  greater  economic 
relations,  just  as  in  tlie  past  distrust  and  misunderstanding 
has  had  the  tendency  of  disturbing  these  relations. 

Another  theory  which  has  been  exploded  is  that  economic 
independence  should  come  before  political  independence  and 
that,  therefore,  the  people  should  not  ask  for  political  freedom 
before  securing  their  economic  independence.  Our  experience 
during  the  last  five  years  has  demonstrated  the  contrary ; that 
is  to  say,  that  no  country  can  expect  to  prosper  in  a material 
way  before  having  in  its  hands  the  political  agencies  and  instru- 
mentalities essential  thereto;  in  short,  the  most  effective  in- 
strumentality for  economic  progress  is  political  autonomy. 
Before  the  establishment  of  Philippine  autonomy  Filipino  mer- 
chants and  manufacturers  could  not  compete  with  foreigners 
for  lack  of  credit  and  banking  facilities,  which  were  controlled 
by  the  latter.  But  tlie  organization  of  an  autonomous  Philip- 
pine Government  has  paved  the  way  for  a phenomenal  develop- 
ment of  the  commercial  activities  of  the  people.  The  Govern- 
pient  created  the  Philippine  National  Bank,  whose  resources 
amounted  only  to  ¥*20,000,000  in  1916,  which  increased  to  more 
than  ¥*230,000,000  in  1918.  This  success  has  probably  very  few 
precedents  in  the  world’s  history  of  banking. 

The  total  foreign  trade  of  the  islands  in  1913  was  5*215,- 
391.4S4,  with  a balance  against  the  islands  of  ¥*11,000,000,  while 
last  year,  1918,  our  foreign  trade  amounted  to  ¥*468, 563, 494, 
with  a balance  in  our  favor  of  ¥*74,196,64S,  which  means  an 
increase  of  ¥*253,172,010,  or  129  per  cent,  in  1918  over  1913. 

Our  money  circulation  has  increased  also,  for  in  1913  we  had 
¥*50,697,282,  or  ¥*5.52  per  capita,  while  at  present  we  have  in 
circulation  ¥*132,602,968,  or  ¥*13.68  per  capita. 

Taxation  in  the  Philippines  was  ¥*4.28  per  capita  in  1913, 
compared  with  ¥*5.36  per  capita  in  1917. 

Another  eloquent  proof  of  the  remarkable  development  of  the 
islands  is  the  fact  that  during  the  last  few  years  3,065  domestic 
corporations  and  firms  were  organized,  with  a capital  of  ¥*452;- 
192,197,  to  say  nothing  of  95  large  firms,  American  and  foreign, 
of  world-wide  reputation  and  with  enormous  capital,  which  have 
their  branches  in  the  Philippines. 

rUBLIC  WORKS  AND  PERMANENT  IMPROVEMENTS. 

Our  economic  prosperity  thus  far  obtained  is  undoubtedly 
due  in  large  measure  to  the  policy  steadily  pursued  by  the  Gov- 
ernment of  devoting  every  year  considerable  sums  of  money  to 
the  promotion  and  extension  of  public  works  and  permanent 
improvements.  Roads  have  therefore  been  built  everywhere, 
thus  putting  in  communication  with  the  outside  world  plfides 
hitherto  inaccessible,  and  through  an  excellent  system  of  main- 
tenance we  have  been  able  to  prevent  the  destruction  of  these 
122370—19489 


21 


roads  and  get  tlie  greatest  benefit  possible  from  the  money 
invested.  Shipping  has  been  likewise  fostered  with  the  con- 
struction of  piers  and  wharves,  the  dredging  of  rivers,  and  the 
making  of  other  improvements  in  many  ports.  The  lighthouse 
system  has  been  improved,  and  the  work  of  coast  survey  con- 
tinued. The  mileage  of  nur  railroads  has  been  increased,  post 
and  telegraph  offices  have  been  opened  in  many  municipalities, 
public  markets — substantial  as  well  as  hygienic — have  been 
built,  waterworks  systems  have  been  installed ; in  brief,  a broad 
policy  of  public  works  and  permanent  improvements  in  all  the 
Provinces  has  been  worked  out,  yielding  the  quickest  and  most 
beneficial  results.  The  following  figures  show  the  progress  of 

road  building  jn  the  islands:  

Roads  in  existence  from  1903  to  1913. 


Year. 

First- 

crass 

road. 

Second- 

"class 

read. 

Third- 

class 

road. 

Total. 

Total  expend- 
iture for  roads. 

1903 

Km. 

397.0 

Km. 

(') 

Km. 

Km. 

397.0 

(') 

1909 

553. 5 

(>) 

b) 

553.5 

(>) 

1910 

1, 230.  2 

1,031.3 

3,337.6 

5,599.1 

0) 

1911 

1, 587. 6 

1,068.9 

2,956.8 

5,613.3 

To,  671, 436. 53 

1912 

1, 839.  G 

2, 159. 9 

3,216.8 

7,216.3 

5,951,858.67 

1913 

2,097.3 

2,034.6 

3,118.1 

7, 250.  0 

6,949,593.39 

1913  2 

2, 233.  8 

2, 024. 6 

3, 138. 7 

7, 397. 1 

3,683,435.09 

1914 

2, 564.  0 

2,024.3 

2, 875. 7 

7, 464. 0 

7,201,190.79 

1915 

3,067.7 

2, 032.  2 

3,051.7 

8, 201. 6 

7,699,097.83 

1916 

3, 439.  6 

2, 045.  8 

3, 440.  7 

8,923.1 

8,035, 141.  05 
8, 852, 350. 05 

1917 

3, 73S.  7 

2,056.6 

3,348.4 

9,188.9 

1918  8 

3,936.0 

2,019.9 

3, 294. 8 

9,250.7 

5,744,839.52 

i Data  not  available.  2 July  1 to  Dec.  31,  1913.  8 Jan.  1 to  June  30  only. 


INCOME  AND  EXPENSES. 

The  following  figures  show  the  progress  made  in  the  finances 
of  the  government  during  the  last  three  years : 

Financial  condition  of  the  insular  government  during  the  last  three 

years. 


Items  of  revenue  and 
expenditure. 

1915 

~N 

1918 

1917 

Increase  or 
deeroase 
1916-17. 

Source  of  revenue: 
Eevenue  from  taxa- 
tion  

P25,769,492. 78 

P27, 957, 308. 95 

P35, 448, 412. 30 

P7, 491, 103. 35 

Incidental  revenue. . 

1,191,204.53 

1,664,392.05 

2,296,270.32 

631,878.27 

Eevenue  from  com- 
mercial and  indus- 
trial units 

8,479,212.96 

9,326,810. 77 

/ 

11,832,921. 62 

2, 506, 110. 85 

Other  income  of  op- 
erating units 

80,720. 73 

175,262.89 

52,626.02 

132,633.87 

Dividends  on  bank 

157, 52G.  05 

314,786.78 

157,269.73 

Income  from  United 

States  Army 
, .Transport  Service. 
Other  revenues 

125,315.10 

337, 470. 62 

212, 155. 52 

3,927,5S9.70 

6,298,239.83 

4,498,753.78 

1, 739,483. 10 

Total  revenue. . . 

39,448,220.70 

45,704,855.69 

54,781,211.44 

9,076,385.75 

122370—19489 


22 


Financial  condition  of  the  insular  government,  etc. — Continued. 


Items  of  revenue  and 
expenditure. 


1915 


1916 


1917 


Increase  or 
decrease 
1916-17. 


Expenditures: 

General  administra- 
tion   

Expenditures  of  op- 
eration of  indus- 
trial and  commer- 
cial units,  etc 

Interest  on  public 

debt 

Sinking  funds 

Repayment  of  loans. 

Gratuities 

Outlays  and  invest- 
ments  

Other  expenditures.. 

Jotal  expenditures 

Current  surplus  for  the 
year 

Current  surplus  at  the 
beginning  of  the  year. 

Current  surplus  at  the 
end  of  the  year 


y-26, 558,476. 16 


P25,3S4,849.41 


1-29, 437, 890. 53 


£”4,053,011. 12 


7,182,996.20 

972,193.75 

9S2.7S6.63 


7,623,904. 40 


2,065,496.60 

335,251.25 


1,000,117. 
6S6, 873. 
22,500. 
99,476. 

6,042,123. 

46,969. 


9, 063, 829. 24 

1,289,822. 62 
8550)39.  49 
22,500.00 
584,353.28 

3,992,291.45 
162, 391. 13 


1,439,924. 81 

289,705.32 

168,766.35 

' 484, 876.  98 

2, 00, 832. 6S 
115,422.08 


P'38, 097, 200. 59 


P'40,906,813.13 


P'45,408,717.74 


P'1,351,020.11 

8,883,696.66 


f”4, 798,042. 
10,234,116. 


P'9,372,523.70 

15,032,159.33 


P'4,501,904.01 

P'4,574,481.  14 
4,798,042.56 


P10,234,116. 77 


P-15,032,159.33 


P24, 404, 683.03 


P9, 372, 523. 70 


Note. — Figures  in  italics  indicate  decreases. 


THE  NONCHRISTIAN  TRIBES. 

Before  President  Wilson  decided  in  1913  to  appoint  a Filipino 
majority  to  the  Philippine  Commission,  the  control  over  the  so- 
called  non-Cliristian  tribes  was  entirely  in  the  hands  of  Amer- 
icans. It  was  not  until  that  year  that  the  Filipinos  assumed  the 
responsibility  for  these  tribes.  Both  the  Philippine  Commission 
with  Filipino  majority  and  the  Philippine  Legslature  have  ex- 
pressed in  unequivocal  terms,  through  legislative  acts,  a liberal 
and  altruistic  policy  looking  to  the  welfare  and  betterment  of 
these  primitive  people. 

The  act  organizing  the  Department  of  Mindanao  and  Sulu,  in 
1914,  was  passed  with  the  object  of  carrying  out  this  policy, 
add  of  furnishing  said  territory  with  a central  organization 
and  with  officials  who  could  more  directly  look  after  the  welfare 
of  the  inhabitants.  Later  the  legislature  established  the  bureau 
of  non-Christian  tribes,  provided  for  in  section  22  of  the  Jones 
law,  and  set  forth  the  duties  of  the  same  in  the  following  words : 

To  foster  through  nil  adequate  means  and  in  a systematic,  rapid, 
and  thorough  manner  the  material,  moral,  economic,  social,  and  political 
development  of  the  regions  inhabited  by  non-Christian  Filipinos,  always 
having  in  view  the  permanent  mutual  understanding  and  complete 
fusion  of  the  Christian  and  non-Christian  elements  living  in  the  Prov- 
inces of  the  archipelago. 

To  insure  the  success  of  this  policy  the  organization  and 
extension  of  public  schools  in  all  the  non-Christian  territory  has 
been  the  object  of  special  care.  Since  1903  primary  schools  in 
Mindanao  and  Sulu,  where  the  Arabic  and  English  languages 
■Wre  taught,  have  been  organized.  However,  in  view  of 
novelty  of  the  plan  and  the  distrust  on  the  part  of  the  Moros 
and  other  non-Christians,  the- success  of  the  public  schools  was 
very  little.  Toward  the  end  of  the  school  year  1914  the  at- 


122370—19489 


23 


tendance  of  these  schools  was  4,535.  During  the  last  five  years, 
when  the  Filipinos  shaped  the  legislative  policy  toward  the 
Moros,  progress  in  education  has  been  tremendous.  The  follow- 
ing figures  show  the  average  daily  attendance  and  the  expenses 
incurred  from  1912  to  the  present  time : 


Fiscal  year. 

Average  daily 
attendance. 

Expenses. 

1912 

3,807 

F93.987 

137,069 

650,000 

1913 2 

4;  535 
16, 114 

A clearer  idea  of  the  progress  of  education  amongst  the  non- 
Christians  will  be  given  by  the  following  data : The  number  of 
teachers  in  the  Mountain  Province  in  1912  was  93 ; to-day  there 
are  251.  In  1912  there  were  64  teachers  in  the  Province  of 
Nueva  Viseaya ; at  present  there  are  67.  In  the  whole  Depart- 
ment of  Mindanao  and  Sulu  there  were  only  99  teachers  in  1912, 
whereas  to-day  there  are  783.  The  splendid  spirit  demonstrated 
by  these  teachers  by  leaving  their  homes  to  go  out  to  the  non- 
Christian  provinces  is  going  to  be  a strong  factor  for  the  unifi- 
cation and  naturalization  of  the  different  elements  of  the  country. 

Side  by  side  with  the  extension  of  public  schools  the  public 
health  service  has  also  progressed.  In  1914  the  school  and 
health  authorities  in  charge  of  the  Department  of  Mindanao 
and  Sulu  established  a combined  plan  of  schools  and  public  dis- 
pensaries, of  which  17  are  already  in  operation  at  central  points. 
Approximately  30,000  patients  receive  treatment  in  these  dis- 
pensaries every  year.  Besides  these  school  dispensaries,  there 
are  9 special  ones  under  the  control  of  the  health  service. 

No  less  important  than  the  health  work  is  the  extension  of 
public  works  to  all  the  regions  inhabited  by  the  non-Christians. 
Special  attention  has  been  devoted  to  the  construction  and  main- 
tenance of  roads,  the  improvement  of  ports  and  landings,  the 
extension  and  maintenance  of  telephone  lines,  waterworks,  and 
the  construction  of  public  buildings,  especially  schools  and  hos- 
pitals. 

But  this  is  not  all  that  has  been  done.  The  non-Christians 
are  also  taught  how  to  get  the  best  results  from  the  natural 
resources  of  their  soil.  Every  year  a considerable  number  of 
graduates  from  the  College  of  Agriculture  are  sent  to  the  non- 
Christian  provinces,  to  the  end  that  they  may  teach  the  inhabit- 
ants the  modern  methods  of  cultivation.  Interisland  migration 
has  been  fostered  by  the  government’s  help  to  those  who  estab- 
lish themselves  on.  Mindanao  and  Sulu  lands  for  the  purpose 
of  cultivating  them  and  of  living  with  their  non-Christian 
brothers.  In  1917  the  Philippine  Legislature  appropriated  the 
sum  of  PTOO.OOO  for  this  purpose,  which  amount  was  increased 
to,  1*250,000  last  year. 

By  virtue  of  the  Jones  law  the  non-Christian  tribes  were  for 
the  first  time  granted  representation  in  the  national  legislature. 
Three  prominent  and  representative  Moros  and  two  pagans  have 
been  appointed  members  of  the  senate  and  of  the  house  of  repre- 
sentatives. The  Moro  senator  and  representatives  have  been  given 
the  special  privilege  of  taking  the  oath  of  office  in  accordance 
122370— 194S9  — 


24 


with  the  rites  prescribed  by  the  Koran.  This  step  was  looked 
upon  by  the  Mohammedans  as  a proof  of  religious  tolerance  and 
respect  for  Mohammedan  beliefs  on  the  part  of  the  Christian 
Filipinos. 

At  the  time  of  the  inauguration  of  the  Philippine  Legislature 
important  memorials  were  presented  expressing  the  feelings  of 
confidence  and  affection  of  the  Moros  toward  tlieir  Christian 
brothers.  These  memorials  were  sent  to  both  houses  of  the 
legislature  and  were  signed  by  the  Sultan  of  Sulu  and  by  the 
most  influential  datos  of  the  different  provinces  of  the  depart- 
ment. In  them  they  express  their  gratitude  for  the  material 
benefits  received  and  the  political  privileges  granted  them  dur- 
ing the  last  three  years,  an$  also  for  the  liberal  appropriations 
for  public  works,  health  service,  and  schools,  and  for  the  rep- 
resentation allowed  them  in  the  Philippine  Legislature  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  new  organic  law  of  the  Philippine  Islands. 
In  these  memorials  the  hope'  is  also  expressed  that  the  adminis- 
tration will  continue  making  closer  the  present  relations  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Philippines.  Most  of  the  data  referred 
to  has  been  taken  from  a recent  official  report  submitted  by 
Gov.  Frank  W.  Carpenter,  of  the  Department  of  Mindanao  and 
Sulu,  who  is  at  the  same  time  chief  of  thg  bureau  of  non-Chris- 
tian tribes. 

THE  ENGLISH  LANGUAGE. 

It  can  be  asserted  without  dispute  that  the  English  language 
serves  at  the  present  time  as  a common  medium  of  communi- 
cation among  the  islanders  who  still  speak  their  own  dialects. 
The  progress  of  the  English  language  has  been  the  result  of  the 
splendid  work  done  by  the  public  schools,  and  to-day  English  is 
the  language  most  widely  spoken  in  the  whole  Archipelago. 
Business  between  the  central  government  and  most  of  the  Prov- 
inces and  municipalities  is  transacted  in  English.  True,  the 
proceedings  of  the  Philippine  Legislature  are  still  in  Spanish, 
but  the  acts  are  translated  into  English.  The  English  language 
prevails  in  the  commercial  transactions  of  the  islands. 

We  will  not  have  to  wait  very  long  before  the  English  lan- , 
guage  is  the  official  language  even  in  the  courts,  and  the  lan- 
guage most  generally  used  in  private  life.  The  present  leaders 
of  the  people  have  a working  knowledge  of  the  language  and 
many  of  them  read  and  write  it  fairly,  if  they  do  not  speak  it, 
with  few  difficulties  in  their  official  conversations.  The  younger 
generation  has  a thorough  knowledge  of  the  language  and  speaks 
and  writes  it  in  most  cases. 

The  spread  of  this  language  as-  the  common  language  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Archipelago  is  assured,  not  only  because  it  is 
the  basis  of  instruction  in  the  public  schools,  but  also  because 
it  is  essential  to  the  best  interests  and  the  future  of  the  people. 
Once  the  plan  is  carried  out  of  giving  primary,  instruction  to 
every  child  of  school  age  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  generations 
to  come  will  speak  English,  which  will  certainly  obtain  a firm 
foothold  among  the  people. 

It  is  not  only  the  public  schools  that  teach  English;  the  pri- 
vate schools  do  so  likewise.  The  lawr  requires  the  Department 
of  Public  Instruction  to  grant  licenses  for  private  schools  and 
to  exercise  supervision  over  private  schools  and  colleges  of  all 
kinds,  with  the  power  to  approve  their  courses  of  study  and  to 
122370— 194S9 


25 


revoke  their  licenses  if  the  conditions  established  by  the  Govern- 
ment are  not  fulfilled.  For  a long  time  now  these  colleges  and 
schools  have  been  ordered  to  make  English  one  of  the  required 
subjects,  and  their  instruction  has  steadily  improved. 

It  Is  inconceivable  that  the  Filipino  people,  when  they  shall 
have  become  independent,  would  take  any  step  other,  than  that 
of  continuing  this  policy.  It  would  be  unreasonable  to  undo 
what  has  been  done  without  mentioning  the  great  expense 
which  such  change  of  policy  would  involve.  We  therefore 
venture  to  assert  that  the  predominance  of  English  is  assured. 

REQUISITES  FOR  A STABLE  GOVERNMENT. 

The  phrase  “stable  government”  has  a definite  meaning  in 
the  foreign  relations  of  the  United  States,  especially  in  connec- 
, tion  with  its  dealings  with  the  weak  countries  that  have  fought 
for  their  independence.  This  is  not  the  first  time  that  the 
American  Government  has  made  use  of  this  phrase  as  regards 
the  recognization  of  new  States. 

The  conditions  required  by  the  United  States  before  granting 
such  recognition  are  merely  conditions  of  fact ; that  is  to  say, 
where  a government  de  facto  is  established  and  whether  such 
government  has  conditions  of  stobility.  In  1875  there  was 
considerable  agitation  in  the  United  States  for  the  recognition 
of  Cuban  independence,  and  President  Grant  in  his  message 
to  Congress  expressed  the  idea  that  recognition  would  not  be 
possible  until  the  Cuban  people  could  establish  a government 
possessing  elements  of  stability.  Quoting  his  words : 

Where  n considerable  body  of  people,  who  have  attempted  to  free 
themselves  of  the  control  of  the  superior  government,  have  reached 
such  point  in  occupation  of  territory,  th  power,  and  in  general  or- 
ganization as  to  constitute  in  face  a body  politic,  having  a govern- 
ment in  substance  as  well  as  in  name,  possessed  of  the  elements  of 
stability,  and  equipped  with  the  machinery  for  the  administration  of 
interna]  policy  and  the  execution  of  its  laws,  prepared  and  able  to 
administer  justice  at  home,  as  well  as  in  its  dealing  with  other  pow- 
ers, it  is  within  the  province  of  those  other  powers  to  recognize  its 
existence  as  a new  and  independent  nation. 

Dwelling  further  on  what  he  thought  a stable  government 
was,  he  *u  id : 

To  establish  the  condition  of  things  essential  to  the  recognition  of 
this  fact,  there  must  be  a people  occupying  a known  territory,  united 
under  some  known  and  defined  form  of  government,  'acknowledged 
by  those  subject  thereto,  in  which  the  functions  of  government  are 
administered  by  usual  methods,  competent  to  mete  out  justice  to 
citizens  and  strangers,  to  afford  remedies  for  public  and  private 
wrongs,  and  able  to  assume  the  correlative  international  obligations 
and  capable  of  performing  the  corresponding  international  duties  re- 
sailting  from  its  acquisition  of  the  rights  cf  sovereignty. 

President  McKinley,  in  discussing  the  recognition  of  the  in- 
dependence of  Cuba,  quoted  the  words  of  President  Grant, 
saying : 

The  United  States,  in  addition  to  the  test  imposed  by  public  law 
as  the  condition  of  the  recognition  of  independence  by  a neutral  State 
(to  wit,  that  the  revolted  State  shall  “constitute  in  fact  a body 
politic,  having  a government  in  substance  as  well  as  in  name,  pos- 
sessed of  ail  the  elements  of  stability,”  and  forming  de  facto,  “ If 
left  to  itself,  a State  among  the  .nations,  reasonably  capable  of  dis- 
charging the  duties  of  a State”),  has  imposed  for  its  own  government 
in  dealing  with  cases  like  these  the  further  condition  that  recognition 
of  independent  statehood  is  not  due  to  a revolted  dependency  until 
the  danger  of  its  being  again  subjugated  by  the  parent  State  has  en- 
tirely passed  away. 

As  a result  of  the  war,  Spain  had  to  withdraw  her  sov- 
ereignty from  Cuba.  The  American  Government  temporarily 
12*2370 — 19489 


/ 


26 


occupied  the  islandfe  and  proceeded  to  organize  a stable  gov- 
ernment. The  first  measure  was  the  taking  of  a census  which 
would  show  the  degree  of  political  capacity  of  the  people.  In 
this  way  it, was  found  that  6G  per  cent  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  island  could  neither  read  nor  write — a percentage  greater 
than  in  the  Philippines,  where  illiteracy  is  30  per  cent — and 
limited  suffrage  was  established,  based  more  or  less  on  the 
same  conditions  now  required  in  the  Philippines.  After  the 
census  the  military  governor,  Gen.  Wood,  promulgated  a law 
which  provided  for  the  holding  of  provincial  and  municipal 
elections.  Thereafter  the  same  voters  who  took  part  in  these 
elections  were  qualified  to  choose  the  members  of  the  constitu- 
tional convention  which  drafted  the  constitution  of  Cuba.  The 
military  governor  inaugurated  the  convention,  and . by  order 
of  the  Secretary  of  War  said,  among  other  things : 

It  will  be  your  duty,  first,  to  frame  and  adopt  a constitution  of 
Cuba  • * * adequate  to  secure  a stable,  orderly,'  and  free  gov- 

ernment. 

The  constitution  adopted  by  the  Cuban  people  was  not  en- 
tirely satisfactory  to  Secretary  Root,  but  being  the  result  of 
conscientious  deliberations  by  the  representatives  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Cuba,  it  was  accepted."  On  December  31,  1901,  the  peo- 
ple of  Cuba  chose  their  provincial  governors,  their  councilors, 
«nd  members  of  the  house  of  representatives,  and  the  presi- 
dential and  senatorial  electors.  These  last  met  on  February 
24,  1902,  in  order  to  choose  the  president,  vice  president,  and 
senators.  After  the  election  of  these  officials  the  American 
Government  made  ready  to  transfer  to  their  hands  the  reins 
of  government.  The  condition  of  stability  had  been  fulfilled, 
and  on  May  20,  1902,  the  military  governor,  on  behalf  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  read  the  memorable  document 
which  transferred  to  “ the  duly  elected  representatives  of  the 
people  of  Cuba  the  government  and  control  of  the  islands,” 
and  declared  “ the  occupation  of  Cuba  by  the  United  States 
and  the  military  government  of  the  islands  ” to  be  ended. 

A “ stable  government  ” has,  therefore,  been  construed  to 
mean,  in  the  case  of  Cuba,  a government  duly  chosen  by  the 
people.  This  was  the  clear  interpretation  adopted  by  the  Ameri- 
can Government. 

It  is  evident  that  this  is  the  same  interpretation  given  to  the 
phrase  “ stable  government  ” as  used  in  the  preamble  of  the 
Jones  law. 

That  the  Filipinos  now  have  a government  of  this  sort,  a gov- 
ernment constituted  by  the  people,  able  to  preserve  order  and  to 
comply  with  its  international  obligations,  can  not  be  denied  by 
any  fair-minded  man  who  knows  the  conditions  of  the  country. 
Our  present  government  is  a government  based  on  the  peaceful 
suffrage  of  the  people,  representing  the  whole  country,  deriving 
their  powers  from  the  people  and  subject  to  the  limitations  and 
safeguards  which  the  experience  of  constitutional  government 
has  shown  to  be  essential  to  the  maintenance  and  protection 
of  individual  rights. 

Our  central,  provincial,  and  municipal  governments  rest  upon 
the  peaceful  suffrage  of  the  Filipino  people.  The  insular  govern- 
ment has  at  its  disposal  a complete  governmental  machinery 
recognized  and  supported  by  the  people.  The  guiding  part  of  this 
machinery  is  already  in  the  hands  of  the  Filipinos.  There  is 
122370—13480 


27 


a Philippine  Legislature  whose  members  are  elected  by  the  quali- 
fied voters  of  the  islands,  which  legislative  body  is  invested  with 
general  legisative  powers  within  the  limitations  laid  down  by 
the  Jones  law.  In  said  legislature  the  non-Christian  element  is  • 
represented  by  nine  members  appointed  by  the  Governor  Gen- 
eral. We  have  also  a judicial  system  based  upon  the  American 
principle  of  independence  of  the  judicial  department.  Our 
laws  and  our  courts  are  of  the  modern  type,  like  those  of  the 
most  progressive  nations  of  the  west.  Our  codes  are  based  on 
Spanish  and  American  jurisprudence,  taking  from  the  Spanish 
substantive  laws,  their  conciseness,  symmetry,  and  philosophy, 
and  from  the  American  laws  of  procedure  their  facility,  com- 
mon sense,  and  efficiency.  The  limitations  and  safeguards  for 
the  protection  of  individual  rights  are  thoroughly  ingrained  In 
the  political  life  of  the  Filipino  people  and  no  political  change 
that  might  take  place  would  in  any  way  impair  them. 

We  have,  therefore,  a stable  government  in  the  Philippines 
which  fulfills  all  the  conditions  required  by  the  United  States 
in  other  cases  of  recognition  of  new  States,  especially  in  tHe 
case  of  Cuba,  and  this  government  is  now  in  operation  and  is 
practically  controlled  and  directed  by  the  Filipinos  themselves. 
If  the  Governor  and  Vice  Governor  General  of  the  Philippine 
Islands  were  to  be  suddenly  withdrawn  from  the  archipelago 
and  in  their  place  Filipinos  were  appointed,  no  port  of  the  gov- 
ernmental machinery  would  suffer  thereby  and  every  piece 
thereof  would  move  as  regularly  and  as  orderly  as  at  present. 

The  testimony  of  the  representatives  of  the  American  Govern- 
ment in  the  islands  during  all  the  time  that  the  Philippine 
Government  was  in  the  hands  of  the  Filipinos  bears  out  the 
assertion  which  we  made  in  regard  to  the  conditions  of  stability 
of  the  Philippine  Government. 

Says  Governor  Harrison : 

There  are  about  1,000  municipalities  in  the  Philippines,  all  of  which 
are  governed  by  elective  'Filipino  officials.  There  are  about  42 
Provinces  in  the  islands  likewise  governed  by  Filipinos.  There  are 
two  elective  houses  of  the  legislature  composed  entirely  of  Filipinos. 
Out  of  seven  members  in  the  cabinet  six  are  Filipinos,  and  most  of 
the  heads  of  the  executive  departments  of  the  government  are  Fili- 
pinos to-day.  It  is  true  that  there  are  still  some  700  Americans  in 
the  Philippines,  but  for  the  most  part  they  are  teachers,  professors, 
and  scientists,  and  to  my  mind  a class  of  men  who  would  be  desired 
by  the  Filipinos  even  if  they  had  complete  independence. 

That  presents  a picture  of  practical  autonomy.  It  has  been  going 
on  for  the  last  two  and  a half  years,  or  ever  since  the  recent  charter 
has  been  givs^  us  by  Congress,  and  in  my  opinion,  during  those  two 
and  a half  years  the  Filipinos,  having  been  given  an  opportunity,  have 
satisfactorily  demonstrated  the  fact  that  they  have  already  established 
and  are  maintaining  the  stable  form  of  government  which  is  prescribed 
in  the  preamble  to  the  Jones  bill  as  a prerequisite  to  their  independ- 
ence. 

On  another  occasion  he  said : 

By  temperament,  by  experience,  by  financial  ability,  in  every  way  the 
10,000,000  Filipinos  are  entitled  to  be  free  from  every  government. 

Vice  Gov.  Charles  E.  Yeater,  in  an  official  telegram  to  the 
Secretary  of  War,  reports: 

The  capacity  for  initiative  and  the  constructive  spirit  evidenced  by 
the  legislature,  the  first  organized  under  the  Jones  law,  is  worthy  of 
great  commendation.  Its  capacity  to  investigate  government  problems 
and  to  act  expeditiously  but  with  due  caution  is  certainly  unprecedented 
in  history,  considering  that  for  three  centuries  this  people  had  prac- 
tically no  political  rights  and  were  debarred  from  the  benefits  of  edu- 
cation. American  legislative  practice' and  procedure  has  always  been 
122370 — 194S9 


23 


examined,  and  with  few  exceptions  followed.  As  indicative,  however, 
of  their  independent  frame  of  mind  it  may  be  noted  that  a single 
legislative  committee  has  had  charge  of  both  appropriations  and  ways 
and  means  since  1907,  and  under  the  provisions  of  the  .Tones  law  lias 
adopted  substantially  the  basic  principles  of  the  English  budget  system 
instead  of  maintaining  a rigorous  application  of  the  theory  of  the 
separation  of  governmental  powers  as  far  as  the  legislative  and  execu- 
tive departments  are  concerned,  the  latter  directed  by  an  American. 
This  legislature  has  given  to  the  secretaries  of  the  various  departments 
the  right  to  appear  before  either  house  to  defend  publicly  the  measures 
proposed  by  the  executive  or  to  oppose  measures  originated  in  such 
houses.  Finally,  as  one  of  the  representatives  in  these  islands  of  the 
United  States  Government,  I wish  to  attest  the  patriotism  of  the 
Filipinos  and  their  loyal  attachment  to  the  United  States  Government. 
This  legislature  which  has  just  terminated  its  sessions  has  acted  with 
judgment  and  prudence  and  in  what  it  has  done  and  left  undone  dur- 
ing its  term  now'  drawing  to  a close,  and  should  be  credited  for  the 
wisdom  with  which  it  has  guided  and  directed  the  Filipino  people  in 
the  paths  of  order  and  tranquility  during  these  recent  years  of  almost 
universal  turmoil  and  unrest.  Perfect  peace  has  prevailed  here  and 
all  provincial  and  municipal  government  instrumentalities  of  force  have 
had  no  function  to  perform. 

In  regard  to  honesty  and  efficiency,  the  Philippine  govern- 
ment can  be  favorably  compared  to  the  best  in  the  world.  No 
charge  of  bribery  has  been  piade  against  any  high  official. 
Cases  of  misappropriation  of  public  funds  have  been  excep- 
tionally few,  and  only  subordinate  officials  were  involved.  The 
offending  parties  have  been  discharged  from  the  service,  and 
whenever  sufficient  evidence  for  conviction  was  available  they 
were  prosecuted. 

Efficiency  in  the  civil  service  has  been  maintained  at  a high 
standard.  Appointments  of  chiefs  and  assistant  chiefs  of  divi- 
sion have  been  based  strictly  on  merit  and  not  political  consid- 
erations. In  most  cases  men  who  had  served  for  a long  time 
have  been  promoted  to  these  positions  with  a view  to  the  effi- 
ciency of  the  service. 

Every  citizen  has  enjoyed  civil  and  political  rights  without 
hindrance  and  amid  public  peace  and  safety.  Religious  toler- 
ance has  grown  to  such  an  extent  that  all  Christian  denomina- 
tions are  working  in  perfect  harmony ; Mohammedans  and 
Christians  in  Mindanao  and  Sulu  respect  each  other’s  religious 
practices.'  Moral  campaigns  have  been  carried  on  at  all  times, 
with  appreciable  results  in  the  uplift  of  the  people. 

The  progress  made  along  material  and  economic  lines  in  re- 
cent years  shows  the  entire  confidence  of  all  the  residents  of 
the  Philippines  in  the  orderly  and  stable  conditions  of  the 
country. 

III. 

NATIONAL  SENTIMENT  HAS  INVARIABLY  BEEN  FOB 
COMPLETE  INDEPENDENCE. 

It  would  seem  to  be  entirely  unnecessary  to  discuss  the  ques- 
tion of  whether  or  not  the  Filipinos  desire  to  be  independent  at 
this  time,  but  some  doubt  being  entertained  by  a number  of 
American  citizens  as  to  whether  the  Filipinos,  after  being  given 
the  opportunity  to  manage  their  domestic  affairs,  would  not 
prefer,  for  their  best  interest,  to  continue  certain  relations  of 
political  dependence  with  the  United  States,  we  have  decided 
to  devote  this  chapter  to  a treatment  of  the  present  aspirations 
of  the  people  in  relation  to  the  independence  problem. 

If  the  historical  events  in  the  Philippines  in  1896  and  1S98 
are  studied,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  longing  for  independence 
122370 — 19489 


■* 


was  the  most  powerful  sentiment  behind  the  revolution  against 
Spain  the  latter  year.  With  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Spain  the  Filipinos  saw  their 
chance  to  destroy  Spanish  dominion  and  to  declare  their  inde- 
pendence. They  turned  a deaf  ear  to  the  alluring  promises 
made  by  the  Spanish  authorities,  and,  with  the  moral  and  ma- 
terial support  of  the  Americans,  they — the  Filipinos — were  for- 
tunately able  to  defeat  the  Spanish  forces  and  to  seize  prac- 
tically all  of  the  territory  of  the  islands.  Then  the  Filipinos 
organized  a government  under  Aguinaldo,  whose  authority 
spread  throughout  the  islands  and  received  the  approbation  and 
consent  of  the  people. 

This  aspiration  for  independence  was  the  thing  that  moved 
the  Filipinos  to  go  through  the  sufferings  and  sacrifices  of  an- 
other war  against  the  Americans  in  1899,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  they  knew  beforehand  the  weakness  of  their  forces  and  the 
certainty  of  their  defeat  in  the  face  of  the  formidable  power 
and  the  unlimited  resources  of  the  people  of  the  United  States. 
It  has  frequently  been  said  that  the  war  against  the  Americans 
was  but  the  work  of  a group  of  Tagals,  but  the  extent  and  dura- 
tion of  the  military  operations  carried  on-  by  the  American 
forces  and  the  unanimous  restetance  with  which  they  met 
everywhere  prove  that  the  national  sentiment  of  the  Filipinos 
was  opposed  to  a new  domination. 

The  Filipinos  accepted  peace,  not  for  the  purpose  of  giving  up 
their  aspirations  for  independence,  but  only  to  change  their 
method  of  obtaining  them.  They  were  willing  to  go  through  the 
training  in  self-government  which  was  required  of'- them  in  the 
hope  that  they  would  thus  secure  their  independence  sooner. 
They  were  convinced  of  their  own  capacity,  and  therefore  instead 
of  obstructing  the  work  of  reconstruction  and  progress  inau- 
gurated by  the  American  Government,  they  heartily  lent  their 
cooperation,  at  the  same  time  bending  every  energy  to  secure 
larger  opportunities  to  show  in  actual  practice  and  in  the  exer- 
cise of  great  responsibilities  what  they  could  do  in  governmental 
affairs. 

The  history  of  the  last  10 'years,  from  the  organization  of  the 
Philippine  Assembly,  when  for  the  first  time  the  people  were 
permitted  to  express  their  opinion  in  regard  to  their  political 
future,  proves  beyond  doubt  the  firm  and  unswerving  determina- 
tion of  the  Filipinos  to  obtain  a full  recognition  of  their  inter- 
national sovereignty. 

Speaker  Osmena,  in  a speech  delivered  at  the  close  of  the 
legislative  session  on  June  19,  190S,  made  the  following  utter- 
ances : 

Through  all  the  vicissitudes,  difficulties,  and  reverses  the  ideal  of  the 
Filipino  people  has  remained  unalterable.  The  adverse  fortune  of  Fili- 
pino arms  has  not  shaken  the  aspirations  of  the  people,  neither  has  the 
false  hope  so  often  held  out  in  the  midst  of  people’s  misfortunes,  of  the 
possibility  of  the  Philippines  being  made  a State  of  the  great  American 
Union  ever  made  them  hesitate  in  the  least.  The  Filipino  people 
accepted  peace,  principally  because  they  expected  justice  from  the 
American  people.  Far  from  holding  aloof  from  or  making  difficult  the 
work  of  the  Government  in  its  implantation,  they  did  everything  they 
could  to  promote  and  improve  it.  They  went  to  the  polls  when  the 
municipal  government  was  established  ; they  also  willingly  took  part  In 
the  government  of  the  Provinces  when  amid  countless  difficulties,  and 
when  the  ruins  of  the  revolution  still  loomed  grim  and  terrible  they 
were  called  upon  to  do  so;  and  they  chose  their  representatives  when 
the  sorenm  hour  came  for  the  most  difficult  test  of  their  capacity  to 
122370—19489 


30 


manage  their  own  destiny.  But  neither  before  nor  after  did  they  yield 
to  promise  or  fear ; before  and  after  they  aspired  for  their  national 
independence,  both  when  they  cast  their  vote  in  favor  of  a free  and 
independent  life  and  when  yesterday  on  the  battle  field  they  offered  the 
lives  of  their  best  sons  for  the  sake  of  our  country  and  of  her  ideais. 
We  must  thus  speak  clearly  in  this  august  place,  where  fallacy  does  not 
lurk,  where  deceit  has  no  place,  and  where  truth  finds  its  seat,  and 
where  justice  presents  itself  with  all  of  Its  lofty  attributes  ; we  must 
speak  thus  in  this  place  where  we  feel  with  full  sense  of  responsibility 
our  love,  our  most  legitimate  veneration  for  the  Philippines. 

The  Filipino  people  aspire  to-day,  as  before  taking  up  arms  for  the 
second  time  against  Spain,  as  thereafter  in  the  din  of  arms,  and  then  In 
peace,  for  their  national  independence. 

Allow  me,  gentlemen  of  the  house,  following  the  dictates  of  my  con- 
science as  a delegate,  as  a representative  of  the  country,  under  my  re- 
sponsibility as  speaker  of  this  house,  to  declare  solemnly,  as  I do  now 
before  God  and' before  the  world,  that  we  believe  that  our  people  aspire 
for  their  independence  ; that  our  people  consider  themselves  capable  of 
leading  an  orderly  life,  efficient  for  themselves  and  for  others,  in  the  con- 
cert of  free  and  civilized  nations  ; and  that  we  believe  that  if  the  people 
of  the  United  States  were  to  decide  at  this  moment  the  Philippine  cause 
in  favor  of  the  Filipinos  the  latter  could,  in  assuming  the  consequent 
responsibility,  comply  with  their  duties  to  themselves  and  to  others 
without  detriment  to  liberty,  to  justice,  and  to  right. 

At  the  close  of  the  legislative  session  on  May  20,  1909,  the  fol- 
lowing resolution  was  passed  by  the  Philippine  Assembly : 

Whereas  at  the  meeting  of  June  19,  1908,  the  assembly  approved  and 
adopted  the  following  words  of  the  speaker,  to  wit : 

“Allow  me,  gentlemen  of  the  house,  following  the  dictates  of  my 
conscience  as  a delegate,  as  a representative  of  the  country,  under  my 
responsibility  as  speaker  of  this  house,  to  declare  solemnly,  as  I do 
now  before  God  and  before  the  world,  that  we  believe  that  our  people 
aspire  for.  their  independence ; that  our  people  consider  themselves 
capable  of  leading  an  orderly  life,  efficient  for  themselves  and  for 
others,  in  the  concert  of  free  and  civilized  nations  ; and  that  we  be- 
lieve that  if  the  people,  of  the  United  States  were  to  decide  at  this 
moment  the  Philippine  cause  in  favor  of  the  Filipinos,  the  latter 
could,  in  assuming  the  consequent  responsibility,  comply  with  their 
duties  to  themselves  and  to  others,  without  detriment  to  liberty,  to 
justice,  and  to  right.” 

Whereas  the  Hon.  Manuel  U.  Quezon,  delegate  from  Tayabas,  attended 
said  meeting  and  voted  in  favor  of  said  resolution,  and  said  lion. 
Manuel  L.  Quezon  is  now  elected  Resident  Commissioner  of  the  Philip- 
pine Islands  in  the  United  States  : Therefore  be  it 
Resolved,  That  this  house  state  to  the  Resident  Commissioner  elect, 
non.  Manuel  L.  Quezon,  that  the  members  thereof  would  be  highly  satis- 
fied if,  upon  bis  appearance  before  the  Congress  of  the  United  States 
and  when  he  finds  opportunity  therefor,  he  should  make  known  to  said 
Congress  our  aspiration  for  independence  as  expressed  at  the  meeting 
of  the  assembly  on  June  19,  1908. 

Resident  Commissioner  Mr.  Quezon,  in  fulfilling  the  instruc- 
tions contained  in  the  above  resolution,  delivered  a speech  in  the 
House  of  Representatives  on  May  14,  1910,  in  the  course  of 
which  he  said : 

Mr.  Chairman,  from  what  I have  said  it  can  be  sfen  that  the  affairs 
of  the  islands  are  not  in  a very  encouraging  state  ; rather,  that  the  out- 
look is  depressing.  The  Filipinos,  however,  are  patiently  and  hopefuHy 
looking  forward  to  blighter  days.  We  are  aware  that  you  have' not 
gone  to  those  islands  for  your  own  profit ; we  are  aware  that  you  have 
not  gone  there  to  subjugate  us,  but  to  emancipate  us.  The  lesson  of 
your  history — the  most  brilliant  history  of  all  the  nations  of  the 
world — is  inconsistent  with  any  other  motive  in  your  dealings  with  the 
Filipinos  than  that  of  making  them  free.  This  great  Republic,  founded 
and  reared  by  liberty-loving  people,  can  not  undertake  any  task  not  in 
keeping  with  right,  justice,  happiness,  and  liberty  for  all  mankind.  We 
have  an  unshaken  faith  in  the  future  destiny  of  our  beloved  fatherland, 
since  Us  fate  was  committed  to  your  care.  We  firmly  believe  and  sin- 
cerely trust  that  the  day  will  soon  come  when  this  Congress,  composed 
of  the  representatives  of  a God-fearing  people,  will  generously  give  to  us 
the  blessings  of  that  freedom  which  has  made  you  so  happy,  so  pros- 
perous, and  so  great,  and  which  is,  aftqr  all,  the  keynote  of  the  happi- 
122370—19489 


31 


ness  and  prosperity  of  every  people.  When  that  time  comes— and  let 
us  hope  that  it  may  happen  to-morrow — the  day  when  was  raised  in  the 
Philippines  the  ever-glorious  Stars  and  Stripes  will  eternally  be  the  best 
celebrated  day  of  our  national  life. 

Iii  a memorial  submitted  to  the  then  Secretary  of  War,  Mr. 
Dickinson,  by  the  Nacionalista  Party  on  September  1,  1910,  the 
following  was  said : 

These  facts  are  mentioned  with  the  object  of  showing  that  the  per- 
sistency of  the  Filipinos  in  being  independent  is  bound  up  in  the  recol- 
lections of  that  short  period  of  their  past  in  which,  associated  with  the 
Americans,  they  threw  down  the  secular  power  of  a sovereignty  and 
experienced  the  satisfaction  and  happiness  of  governing  themselves, 
their  interests,  and  their  future.  Then,  they  understood  how  satis- 
factory and  sweet  to  the  citizens  is  the  yoke  imposed  by  the  power  of 
its  own  laws  and  the  government  by  men  of  its  own  race,  and  how 
close  and  loyal  is  the  cooperation  which  exists  between  people  and  gov- 
ernment to  better  the  interests  of  the  country  and  to  enter  resolutely 
and  without  embarrassment  into  the  wide  ways  of  human  progress. 
Then  the  Filipinos  abandoned  all  the  vicious  practices  which  the  former 
sovereignty  had  extended  over  all  the  masses  and  recovered  the  good 
qualities  which  people  free  from  all  yoke  possessed.  This  moved  the 
Filipinos  to  resist  with  all  their  force  the  new  American  domination, 
and  to  submit  to  it  only  when  they  fully  understood  that  they  might  be 
independent  in  a more  or  less  short  period.  The  efforts  of  the  Filipinos 
in  defense  of  that  government,  the  blood  which  its  soldiers  shed,  and 
the  money  which  was  employed  in  the  service  of  the  Filipino  flag, 
recalls  to  them  constantly  that  short  period  of  its  happiness  and  makes 
them  consider  the  present  as  a temporary  situation  which  they  desire  to 
abbreviate  as  much  as  possible  in  order  to  acquire  the  satisfaction  of 
their  national  ambitions  and  their  intentions  of  elevation  and  enrich- 
ment of  the  country. 

On  February  3,  1911,  the  Philippine  Assembly  passed  the  fol- 
lowing resolution : 

Resolved,  That  the  assembly  ask,  as  it  hereby  does  ask,  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States  immWiately  to  recognize  "the  independence  of  the 
Filipino  people  in  the  form  expressed  in  the  memorial  of  the  Nacional- 
ista Party,  dated  September  1,  1910; 

Resolved  further,  That  the  assembly  adopt  each  and  every  conclusion 
and  proposition  contained  in  said  memorial ; and 

Resolved  further.  That  this  resolution  be  transmitted  by  cable  to  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States  and  to  the  Resident  Commissioners  of  the 
Philippine  Islands,  suggesting  that  they  present  and  support  the  same 
in  Congress  before  the  termination  of  Hie  present  session  of  said 
Congress.  

On  February  1,  1912,  the  Philippine  Assembly  reiterated  its 
petition  in  the  following  terms; 

Resolved,  That  the  Philippine  Assembly  reiterate,  as  it  hereby  does 
reiterate,  the  petition  for  immediate  independence  of  the  Philippines  to 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States. 

Resolved  further.  That  this  resolution  be  transmitted  by  cable  to. the 
Resident  Commissioners,  in  Washington,  recommending  that  the  same 
be  conveyed  to  and  supported  in  said  Congress. 

On  February  11, 1913,  in  view  of  the  change  of  administration 
in  the  United  States^  Speaker  Osmcna,  in  his  speech  at  the  close 
of  the.  legislative  session,  made  the  following  declarations ; 

There  in  America  another  party  now  comes  to  power — the  Democratic 
Party.  Old  in  history,  new  in  victory,  this  party  has  been  unceasingly 
fighting  for  the  ideals  of  the  Filipino  people  for  more  than  a decade. 
It  stated  in  a solemn  manner  before  all  the  nations  in  its  Baltimore 
platform  the  following  : 

“ We  reaffirm  the  position  thrice  announced  by  the  Democracy  in 
national  convention  assembled  against  a policy  of  imperialism  and 
colonial  exploitation  in  the  Philippines  or  elsewhere.  We  condemn  the 
experiment  in  imperialism  as  an  inexcusable  blunder,  which  has  in- 
volved us  in  enormous  expenses,  brought  us  weakness  instead  of 
strength,  and  laid  ottr  Nation  open  to  the  charge  of  abandonment  of 
the  fundamental  doctrine  of  self  government.  We  favor  an  immediate 
declaration  of  the  Nation's  purpose  to  recognize  the  independence  of  the 
Philippine  Islands  as  soon  as  a stable  government  ean  be  established, 
122370— 194S9 


32 


such  Independence  to  be  guaranteed  by  us  until  the  neutralization  of 
the  islands  can  be  secured  by  treaty  u ith  other  powers. 

“ In  recognizing  the  independence  of  the  Philippines  our  Govern- 
ment should  retain  such  land  as  may  be  necessary  for  coaling  stations 
and  naval  bases  ” 

Wc  trust  that  the  meaning  of  these  words,  which  are  clear  and  un- 
mistakable, will  be  transmuted  into  reality.  I believe  and  hope  that 
this  will  be  done,  because  the  American  people  are  just.  The  die  is 
cast,  and  God,  who  has  never  failed  the  other  people,  will  not  fail  ours. 
In  the  meantime  let  us  remain  quiet;  let  everyone  stay ‘in  his  rank, 
fighting  as  he  can  ; let  us  carry  on  our  campaigns  with  courage  and  dis- 
interestedness, and  either  we  are  entirely  mistaken  or  the  days  to  come 
will  be  to  the  Filipino  people,  who  have  struggled  so  much  and  suffered 
so  much,  days  of  vindication,  days  of  liberty. 

On'  October  16,  1913,  the  Philippine  Assembly  passed  the  fol- 
lowing : 

Resolution  sending  to  th'e  President  of  the  United  States  of  America 
through  the  Governor  General  of  the  Philippines  a message  from  the 
Philippine  Assembly  in  the  name  of  the  Filipino  people. 

Whereas  the  President  of  the  United  States  has  sent  through  the  Gov- 
ernor General,  the  Hon.  Francis  Burton  Harrison,  as  message  to 
the  people  of  the  Philippines,  and  said  message  was  duly  delivered  on 
the  16th  day  of  October,  1913.  its  text  being  as  follows  : 

“ We  regard  ourselves  as  trustees,  acting  not  for  the  advantage 
of  the  United  States,  but  for  the  benefit  of  the  people  of  the  Philip- 
pine Islands.  — - 

“ Every  step  we  take  will  be  taken  with  a view  to  the  ultimate  in- 
dependence of  the  islands  and  as  a preparation  for  that  independence. 
And  we  hope  to  move  toward  that  end  as  rapidly  as  the  safety  and 
the  permanent  interests  of  the  islands  will  permit.  After  each  step 
taken  experience  will  guide  us  to  the  next. 

“ The  administration  will  take  .one  step  at  once,  and  will  give  to 
the  native  citizens  of  the  islands  a majority  in  the  appointive  com- 
mission, and  thus  in  the  upper  as  well  as  in  the  lower  house  of  the 
legislature  a majority  representation  will  be  secured. 

“ We  do  this  in  the  confident  hope  and  expectation  that  immediate 
proof  will  be  given  in  the  action  of  the  commission  under  the  new 
arrangement  of  the  political  capacity  of  those  native  citizens  who 
have  already  come  forward  to  represent  and  to  lead  their  people  in 
affairs.” 

Therefore  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  Philippine  Assembly,  in  the  name  of  the  people 
of  the  Philippines,  pray,  as  it  hereby  prays,  the  chief  executive  thereof 
to  kindly  forward  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  the  following 
message  in  reply  : 

We,  the  representatives  of  the  Filipino  people,  constituting  the  Philip- 
pine Assembly,  do  solemly  declare — 

That  the  right  of  the  Filipino  people  to  be  free  and  independent  is 
evident  to  us,  so  that  pursuing  the  line  of  progress  for  themselves, 
theirs  is  the  responsibility  to  labor  for  their  prosperity  in  all  lines 
and  direct  their  own  destinies.  This  was  the  aspiration  of  the  people 
in  entering  into  the  contest  with  Spain,  and  the  presence  of  the 
American  flag  in  Manila  Bay  first  and  later  in  the  interior  of  the 
archipelago  did  not  modify  but  rather  it  affirmed  that  aspiration  in 
spite  of  reverses  in  war  and  difficulties  in  peace.  The  people,  when 
called  upon  to  deposit  their  ballots,  ratified  once  .for  all  this  aspira- 
tion, and  the  national  representation  since  the  inauguration  of  the 
assembly  has  but  acted  in  harmony  with  the  popular  will.  So,  in  the 
midst  of  the  most  adverse  conditions,  the  ideal  of  the  people  has  not 
faltered,  and  it  is  so  stated  respectfully  and  frankly  on  this  occasion 
to  the  authorities  of  the  United  States. 

On  the  other  hand,  our  faith  in  the  justice  of  the  American  people 
has  been  as  great  and  as  persistent  as  our  ideal.  We  have  waited 
patiently,  confident  that  sooner  or  later  mistakes  and  injustice  would  be 
corrected.  The  message  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  to  tho 
Filipino  people  tells  eloquently  that  we  have  not  waited  in  vain. 

We  accept  this  message  with  love  and  gratitude,  and  we  consider  it  a 
definite  statement  of  the  purpose  of  the  American  Nation  to  recog- 
nize the  independence  of  the  islands.  The  immediate  step  to  concede 
us  a majority  on  the  commission  puts  into  our  hands  the  instruments 
of  power  and  of  responsibility  for  the  institution  by  ourselves  of  a 
stable  Philippine  government.  We  fully  recognize  and  we  are  grateful 
from  the  bottom  of  our  hearts  for  the  confidence  placed  in  us  by  the 
Government  of  the  United  States.  We  appreciate  the  appointment  of 
122370— 194S9 


33 


the  Hon.  Francis  Burton  Harrison  as  governor  general,  considering  it 
the  unequivocal  announcement  of  the  new  era,  wherein  we  expect  that 
the  attitude  of  the  people-  be  one  of  decided  cooperation  and  support. 
We  believe  that  the  experiments  of  imperialism  have  ended,  and  that 
the  policy  of  colonial  exploitation  has  passed  into  history.  The  time 
for  suspicions  has  passed,  and  upon  the  opening  of  the  doors  of  oppor- 
tunity to  Filipinos  the  weight  of  responsibility  is  made  to  rest  upon 
them,  which  it  were  inexcusable  cowardice  to  evade  or  refuse.  Hence 
in  a few  days  good  understanding  has  been  arrived  at  between  Amer- 
icans and  Filipinos  which  in  the  past  13  years  could  hot  take  root. 
We  are  convinced  that  each  stop  taken,  while  relieving  the  American 
Government  of  its  responsibilities  in  the  islands,  will  fully  demon- 
strate, as  in  the  past,  the  actual  ability  of  the  Filipino  people  to 
establish  self-government,  and  under  such  government  guarantee  per- 
manently the  life,  the  property,  and  the  liberty  of  the  residents  of  the 
Islands,  whether  native  or  foreign^  We  do  not  mean  by  this  that  there 
will  be  no  difficulties  or  hindrances.  We  do  not  even  hope  that  the 
campaign,-  open  or  secret,  of  the  enemies  of  the  Philippines  cause  will 
quickly  end,  but  we  feel  sure  that  through  the  use  of  the  faculties 
intrusted  to  us  the  Filipino  people,  by  the  grace  of  God  and  the  help 
of  America,  will  proudly  emerge  from  the  test,  however  difficult  it  be  ; 
and 

Resolved  further.  That  a committee  of  seven  be  appointed  by  the 
speaker  of  the  assembly  to  go  to  the  office  of  the  governor  general 
and  deliver  to  him  this  resolution  duly  certified. 

At  the  last  meeting  of  the  session  ending  February  28,  1914, 
Speaker  Osmena  submitted,  before  closing  his  speech,  the  fol- 
lowing declaration,  which  was  unanimously  adopted : 

We,  the  representatives  of  the  Filipino  people,  constituting  the  Phil- 
ippine Assembly,  solemnly  make  thev  following 
DECLARATION. 

In  ratifying,  as  we  do  hereby  ratify,  the  national  aspiration  to  inde- 
pendence so  often  expressed  by  this  assembly  in  previous  sessions,  espe- 
cially in  that  of  the  3d  of  February,  1911,  we  ratify  our  faith  in  the 
immortal  principles  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  made  by  the 
American  people  in  1776.  This  declaration,  though  written  by  Jefferson, 
belongs  to  humanity  and  yet  holds  good.  Above  the  egoism  of  peoples 
clothed  at  times  in  the  dazzling  mantle  of  a feigned  generosity  and  the 
pride  of  nations  obsessed  by  the  fleeting  triumphs  of  an  imperialism 
ambitious  and  aggressive,  the  history  of  many  years  tells  us  that  the 
advancement  and  greatness  of  a nation  may  be  firmly  established  with- 
out abandoning  the  fundamental  principles  of  self-government,  and 
that  this  doctrine  may  be  preserved,  with  loyalty  and  love  through  all 
changes  and  through  the  passing  of  many  generations. 

We  consider  the  policy  of  the  present  President  of  the  United  States, 
and  of  his  representative  in  the  Philippines,  the  Governor  General,  as 
rightfully  inspired  by  the  principles  of  that  declaration.  Hence,  in 
contrast  to  the  previous  administration,  which,  actuated  by  the  idea 
of  colonial  expansion,  could  find  but  vague  and  indecisive  words  in 
tracing  its  line  of  conduct  in  the  Philippines,  the  present  administra- 
tion from  the  first  moment  found  within  its  sphere  of  action  categoric 
and  definite  declarations  as  to  what  in  its  judgment  should  be  the 
future  of  a Christian  people  of  8,000,000  placed  merely  by  the  chances 
of  war  in  the  hands  ot  the  United  States. 

These  forceful  declarations  were  made  despite  the  persistent  and 
apparently  organized  efforts  principally  of  those  who,  being  responsible 
for  having  established  a government  by  force  yesterday,  are  attempt- 
ing now,  under  the  spetious  pretext  of  subserving  the  interest  of  the 
Filipino,  to  keep  the  people  of  the  United  States  by  every  possible 
means  from  doing  justice  to  the  Filipinos.  The  President  of  the  United 
States,  as  leader  of  the  party  in  power,  and  as  the  exponent  of  the 
ideas  of  its  people  in  vogue  now,  has  already  started  to  rectify  erro- 
neous theories  in  respect  to  the  Philippines,  exemplified  in  15  years  of 
imperialistic  administration.  It  is  now  within  the  constitutional  au- 
thority of  Congress  to  definitely  decide  the  insistent  demands  sub- 
mitted to  it.  with  honor  for  the  Americans  and  with  justice  for  the 
Filipinos.  Besides  the  basic  principles  of  government  established  since 
remote  ages,  after  the  long  sufferings  and  weariness  borne  by  those 
wj^o,  like  us,  were  oppressed  and  sought  liberty.  Congress  has  the  good 
fortune  to  possess  another  specific  rule,  and  ultimately  solemnly 
adopted  in  three  national  conventions,  and  one  of  which,  after  ratifi- 
cation in  Baltimore,  won  the  campaign  that  culminated  in  the  election 
of  the  present  majority  in  Congress.  We  earnestly  and  respectfully 
122370—19489 3 


34 


urge  the  early  adoption  by  Congress  of  those  legislative  measures  that 
in  its  wisdom  it  believes  should  be  adopted  to  make  the  promises  of 
independence  to  the  Philippines  immediately  effective. 

Respecting  ourselves,  the  Filipinos,  we  regard  the  early  adoption  of 
such  legislation  essential  to  our  life  as  a people.  Not  only  because 
we  are  contending  with  strong  adversaries  many  miles  away,  far  from 
our  soil  and  our  environment,  and  that  we  arc  destitute  of  the  power 
of  the  ballot,  but  because  it  is  fundamental  for  the  permanent  effec- 
tiveness of  our  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  progress  and  welfare  of  our 
people  that  we  have  in  our  hands  the  guarantees  of  our  future.  In 
insisting  on  the  immediate  control  of  our  affairs  we  are  not  actuated 
by  the  single  desire  to  burden  ourselves  with  the  heavy  weight  of  new 
responsibilities,  but  because  we  wish  right  now  to  establish  the  perma- 
nent bases  of  our  political  nationality,  and,  step  by  step,  with  confi- 
dence and  assurance,  to  move  forward,  so  that  without  unnecessary 
and  sudden  changes  we  may  build  \«tli  our  own  hands,  piece  by  piece, 
and  following  the  pattern  which  popular  conscience  advises  us  to  be 
the  best,  the  governmental  structure,  having  as  its  main  duty  the  pro- 
motion of  happiness,  the  preservation  of  peace,  and  the  protection  of 
life  and  property  of  the  natives  and  of  the  foreigners  of  good  will  who 
may  live  and  settle  in  our  Philippine  territory. 

On  February  16,  1915,  the  Philippine  Commission  and  the 
Philippine  Assembly  approved  the  following  resolutions: 

Resolved  by  the  Philippine  Commission  and  the  Philippine  Assembly 
in  joint  session  assembled,  in  the  Marble  Hall  of  the  Ayuntamiento 
Building  in  Manila,  That  the  Governor  General  be,  and  he  is  hereby, 
requested  to  send  the  following  message  from  the  Philippine  Legisla- 
ture to  the  President  of  the  United  States  : 

“ We  express  our  deep  gratitude  for  the  unwavering  interest  shown  by 
the  President  in  behalf  of  the  people  of  the  Philippine  Islands.  This 
reiteration  of  intention  to  support  -the  Filipino  people  in  their  petition 
for  an  independent  government  shows  the  sincerity  and  perseverance 
with  which  the  administration  proposes  to  carry  out  the  plan  for  the 
independence  of  the  Philippines,  and  that  this  intention  is  the  same  as 
that  communicated  to  the  people  of  the  Philippine  Islands  in  so  solemn 
a manner  on  the  6th  of  October,  1913,  and  afterwards  ratified  by  the 
President  in  his  subsequent  messages  to  Cofigress. 

“ For  our  part,  we  again  reiterate,  in  the  name  of  the  Filipino  people, 
the  national  desire  and  purpose  set  forth  on  many  former  occasions. 
We  have  already  made  such  substantial  progress  in  local  government 
that  it  has  been  deemed  wise  and  desirable  to  give  to  the  people  the 
practical  management  of  their  affairs,  both  municipal  and  provincial. 
The  result  of  the  reform  extending  popular  control  in  provincial  gov- 
ernment has  demonstrated  that  the  hopes  of  success  of  those  respon- 
sible for  this  measure,  ndopted  Because  of  full  confidenae  in  the  capacity 
of  the  people,  has  justified  the  action.  The  confidence  of  the  Govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  has  been  also  fully  justified  by  the  result  of 
extending  Filipino  control  in  the  insular  government.  Notwithstand- 
ing that  the  tumult  of  the  world's  greatest  war  still  continues  and  that 
everywhere  the  effect  has  been  felt  in  financial  and  economic  crises, 
yet  in  spite  of  the  limited  resources  of  our  government  and  the  con- 
tinuing limitations  of  our  commerce,  the  government  of  the  Philippine 
Islands  has  successfully  met  its  every  necessary  expenditure  without 
resort  to  additional  loans  either  from  the  United  States  or  foreign 
Governments. 

“ But,  living  not  alone  for  the  present,  our  foresight  goes  far  beyond, 
nnd  we  wish  to  assure  a stable  future  for  our  people.  We  desirs^an 
increase  of  the  elements  of  our  national  life  and  progress.  We  ask  yet 
more,  and  for  that  reason  in  reiterating,  ns  we  hereby  do  reiterate, 
our  urgent  petitions  for  liberty  and  independence  for  the  people  of  the 
Philippine  Islands  we,  the  elected  representatives  of  the  Filipino  people, 
express  our  confidence  that  the  efforts  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  secure  the  fulfillment  of  his  promises  and  the  realization  of 
our  lawful  hopes  will  obtain  early  nnd  complete  success.” 

On  February  4,  1916,  the  Philippine  Assembly  unanimously 
approved  the  following  political  declaration : 

It  has  always  been  customary  with  the  Philippine  Assembly  at  every 
session  before  adjournment  to  ratify  its  faith  in  the  principles  of  liberty 
and  independence  of  the  Filipino  people,  not  because  such  prlneijfles 
need  be  repeated  each  time  in  order  to  find  a firm  lodgment  in  the 
heart  of  the  popular  chamber;  no;  but  to  demonstrate  to  the  world 
that  neither  time  nor  circumstances,  often  disheartening,  has  succeeded 
in  diverting  the  representatives  of  the  people  from  the  line  of  conduct 
mapped  out  since  the  beginning  of  their  public  life.  During  that  period 
122370—19489 


35 


of  our  struggle  against  dominant  imperialism  we  felt  it  our  duty  to 
face  the, fact,  and,  despite  the  precarious  situation  and  the  timidity 
of  a few 'people,  frankly*to  state  to  our  sovereign,  the  American  people, 
the  sole  ambition  of  our  existence.  And  so  we  did.  At  the  dawn  of  a 
new  era  for  the  Philippines  those  sacred  principles  which  heretofore 
were  abhorred  by  some  now  find  the  doors  of  hope  opened,  so  that  all, 
without  any  exception,  may  freely  enter  and  receive  a hearty  welcome. 

The  news  coming  from  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  would  indi- 
cate that  the  final  hour  has  struck.  In  the  acts  of  the  insular  ad- 
ministration here,  as  well  as  in  those  of  the  United  States  Government, 
the  most  sincere  intentions  to  do  us  full  justice  are  apparent.  For 
this  reason  the  Philippine  Assembly,  the  depositary  of  popular  aspira- 
tions, can  not  but  see  with  satisfaction  that  its  long  and  persevering 
efforts  and  its  insistent  and  fervid  demands  are  upon  the  point  of  being 
crystallized  into  material  and  tangible  form.  On  the  eve  of  such 
transcendent  events,  after  the  uncertainty  and  struggles  of  the  past,  and 
in  the  midst  of  our  hopes  for  speedy  emancipation,  we,  the  representa- 
tives assembled,  turn  our  eyes  mow  to  the  Capitol  of  the  United  States 
and  once  more  await  with  persistence  and  faith  the  enactment  of  the 
pending  measure.  The  tenacity,  efforts,  activities,  and  sacrifices,  shown 
by  our  Resident  Commissioners  have  been  no  small  factor  in  th.e  struggle 
now  about  to  effect  this  happy  consummation.  They  have  been,  and  are. 
the  guiding  spirits  of  this  great  campaign.  We  applaud  their  splendid 
and  patriotic  work,  and  we  recognize  that  no  one  could  have  done 
within  so  short  a time  wbat  they  have  done  in  behalf  of  this  country. 
We  expect  that  as  Members  of  the  House  of  Representatives  they  will 
lose  no  opportunity  to  move  the  patriotism  of  the  American  people 
and  appeal  to  the  sentiments  of.  humanity  and  justice  of  their  Repre- 
sentatives. Our  fervant  desire  is  that  the  longed-for  measure  be  not 
delayed. in  its  passage.  We  Filipinos  earnestly  desire  it.  Once  again 
we  are  one  in  this  plea,  as  we  were  in  the  revolution.  We  feel  con- 
fident that  Divine  Justice  will  grajit  us  in  peace  what  it  could  not 
grant  us  in  time  of  war. 

On  October  16,  1917,  the  same  Philippine  Legislature  approved 
another  joint  resolution,  which  says: 

Be  it  resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the 
Philippines,  in  joint  session  assembled  in  th^.  Marble  Hall  of  the 
Ayuntamiento : That  the  governor  general  be,  and  hereby  is,  requested 
to  send  the  following  message  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  : 
“ The  Philippine  Legislature  deems  It  a duty  incumbent  upon  it  to 
voice  the  unequivocal  expressions  of  the  loyalty  of  the  people  of  these 
islands  to  the  cause  of  the  United  States  of  America  in  the  present 
war  and  in  this  solemn  manner  to  ratify  and  transmit  the  same  to  the 
American  people.  We  realize  that  in  this  war  there  are  being  tried  in 
the  balance  the  greatest  principles  of  humanity  and  right  which  in 
future  will  be  the  foundation  of  the  stability,  peace,  and  security  of 
all  nations,  whether  they  be  great  or  small  or  belong  to  one  race  or 
another.  . , 

“ Our  loyalty  to  the  cause  is  based  on  the  evident  justice  of  the 
enforced  intervention  of  the  American  people  in  this  war,  in  which 
they  have  been  guided  solely  by  the  supreme  interest  of  defending 
universal  democracy  and  upholding  the  right  of  small  nations  to  live 
in  confidence  and  security  under  their  own  governments,  safe  from  the 
threats  and  perils  of  autocracy  and  imperialism. 

We  firmly  believe  that  the  final  triumph  of  democracy,  in  secur- 
ing for  the  world  the  principle  of  nationality  for  the  benefit  of  the 
small  nations,  will  finally  enable  our  people  to  attain  the  ideals  for 
which  we  have  always  struggled,  namely,  our  constitution  into  a free 
and  independent  nation,  with  a democratic  government  of  law  and 
order,  ready  to  be  another  instrument  of  democra'cy  and  universal 
progress.” 

On  November  20,  1918,  upon  receipt  of  official  notification  of 
the  signing  of  the  armistice,  the  Philippine  Legislature  approved 
the  following  message  to  the  President  of  the  United  States : 
Whereas  the  Chief  Executive  has  just  informed  the  legislature  that  it 
may  take  official  cognizance  of  the  termination  of  hostilities  in  Europe 
under  the  terms  of  the  armistice  laid  down  by  the  United  States  and 
her  associated  Governments  ; and 

Whereas  said  terms  of  the  armistice  are  such  as  to  insure  the  advent 
of  peace : Now,  therefore,  be  it 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Philip- 
pines, assembled  in  joint  session  in  the  marble  hall  of  the  Ayuntamiento , 
That  a message  of  the  most  heartfelt  congratulations  be  sent  to  the 
122370— 194S0 


36 


President  of  the  United  States  for  the  brilliant  success  obtained  by 
the  United  States  in  the  terrible  war  just  ended,  together  with  the 
expressions  ot  the  confident  expectation  of  the  Filipino  people“that  this 
victory  of  power  shall  be  converted  into  the^victory  of  right  by  the 
glorious  realization  of  the  great  ideals  of  humanity,  justice,  and  liberty 
and  self-government  enunciated  and  reiterated  by  President  Wilson  ; 

Be  it  further  resolved,  That  -this  body  express,  and  does  hereby  ex- 
press, the  gratitude  of  the  Filipino  people  to  the  United  States  for  the 
part  they  were  allowed  to  take  in  the  most  far-reaching  enterprise 
ever-  undertaken  by  democracy,  the  first  part  of  which,  fought  in  the 
field  of  arms,  has  successfully  ended  ; 

Be  it  finally  resolved.  That  the  Filipino  people,  which  have  un- 
qualifiedly sided  with  the  United  Sftites  when  the  war  was  thrust  upon 
her,  hereby  renew  their  adherence  to  the  noble  purposes  sought  in  the 
war,  and  they  place  themselves  again,  "as  heretofore,  at  the  pleasure 
of  the  American  people,  ready  to  contribute  their  modest  but  cordial 
and  determined  service  in  the  forthcoming  task  of  reconstruction  and 
peace.  The  Filipino  people  believe  that  Providence,  in  choosing  the 
American  people  as  the  leaders  in  this  stupendous  and  immortal  enter- 
prise, has  ordained  in  Ilis  high  designs  that  through  the  complete 
development  and  application  to  all  peoples  of  the  principles  which 
have  given  birth  to  the  United  States  the  fruit  of  victory,  gained  at 
the  cost  of  untold  sacrifices,  shall  not  have  come  to  naught ; that 
the  world  be  made  safe  for  democracy  ; that  the  rights  and  liberties  of 
the  small  nations  be  forever  ^secured  and  guaranteed  ; that  the  people 
desiring  to  be  free  be  liberated  and  allowed  to  establish,  without  fear  or 
hindrance,  a government  of  their  own  choosing,  and  change  it  at  will, 
when  so  demanded  by  their  best  interests ; that  the  weak  be  not  at 
the  mercy  of  the  strong  ; and  that  the  spirit  of  selfishness  and  domina- 
tion be  destroyed,  and  established  in  its  place  among  all  free  men  of 
the  world,  a new  kingdom  of  constructive  and  equal  justice,  based  upon 
foumL^tions  that  will  make  it  universal,  secure,  and  permanent.  And 
wheTrall  these  things  shall  have  be<*n  accomplished  the  universal  belief 
shall  have  been  confirmed,  that  the  war  which  has  happily  ended  has 
been  fought  in  the  interest  of  free  humanity  and  the  everlasting  peace 
of  the  world. 

In  each  and  every  one  of  these  documents  the  sentiment  of 
the  Filipinos  for  t]ieir  independence,  a living  sentiment,  con- 
stant and  ever-growing,  is  reflected.  Neither  the  years  that  have 
passed  nor  the  benefits  received  from  the  American  Government 
have  in  any  manner  changed  this  sentiment.  The  Filipinos 
to-day,  more  than  ever,  believe  that  the  time  has  come  when 
the  political  relations  between  the  two  countries  should  be 
settled  and  adjusted  with  a view  to  a final  solution.  It  is  for 
this  reason  that  the  legislature  enacted  a law  creating  a com- 
mittee on  independence,  charged  with  the  duty  of  studying  the 
means  of  and  taking  the  necessary  steps  for  negotiating  with 
the  Government  of  the  United  States  the  terms  of  the  independ- 
ence of  the  Philippines.  This  committee  has  deemed  it  neces- 
sary to  send  to  the  United  States  a special  mission,  which  is 
not  a political  body.  The  economic  interests  of  the  country 
predominate  in  it.  Out  of  the  2G  full-fledged  members,  14  have 
no  official  connections,  are  not  in  active  politics ; 4 officially 
represent  agricultural  interests;  2 represent  industrial  inter- 
ests ; 4 represent  commercial  interests ; 1 represents  the  Cath- 
olics of  the  country j 1 represents  the  laborers;  1,  formerly  a 
Resident  Commissioner  in  Washington,  is  now  a business  man; 
and  1 I'epresents  the  medical  profession.  These  14  men  have 
official  representation  of  the  economic  forces  of  the  country, 
and  they  are  all  for  the  immediate  independence  of  the  Philip- 
pines. 

Nothing  could  better  explain  the  present  attitude  of  the 
Filipinos  and  their  determination  to  obtain  their  independence 
from  the  Government  and  people  of  The  United  States  than  the 
documents  hereto  appended,  where  the  legislature  defines  the 
122370 — 194S9 


37 

powers  of  tlie  Philippine  mission  and  states  its  duties.  (See 

Appendices  “A”  and  “ B.”) 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Manuel  L.  Quezon,  president  of  the  Philippine  Senate, 
chairman;  Rafael  Palma,  secretary  of  the  in- 
terior and  senator  fourth  district  (Manila),  vice 
chairman ; Dionisio  JaTSosalem,  secretary  of  com- 
merce and  communications,  member;  Pedro  M. 
Sison,  senator  second  district  (Pangasinan) , 
member;  V.  Singson  Enearnacion,  senator  first 
district  (Ilocos),  member;  Rafael  Alunan,  rep- 
resentative (Occidental  Negros),  majority  floor 
leader,  member;  Emiliano  Tria  Tirona,  repre- 
sentative (Cavite) , minority  floor  leader,  member; 
Gregorio  Nieva,  representative  (Tayabas) , mem- 
ber; Mariano  Escueta,  representative  (Bulacan) , 
, member;  Manuel  Escudero,  representative  (Sor- 
sogon),  member;  Pedro  Aunario,  representative 
( Mountain  Province),  member;  Pablo  Ocampo, 
former  Resident  Commissioner  from  the  Philip- 
pines to  the  United  States  (1907-1009) , member; 
Filemon  Perez,  former  representative  (Tayabas) , 
representing  agricultural  interests,  member;  Jose 
Reyes,  former  governor  of  Misamis,  representing 
agricultural  interests,  member;  Delfin  Mahinay, 
former  representative  (Occidental  Negros),  rep- 
resenting agricultural  interests,  member;  Cefe- 
rino  de  Leon,  former  representative  (Bulacan) , 
representing  agricultural  interests,  member; 
Jorge  Bocobo,  dean  college  of  law,  University  of 
the  Philippines,  member ; Tomas  Earnshaw,  rep- 
resenting industrial  interests,  member;  Pedro 
Gil,  representing  industrial  interests,  member; 
Mauro  Prieto,  representing  commercial  interests, 
member;  Juan  B.  Alegre;  representing  commer- 
cial interests,  member;  Carlos  Cuyugan,  repre- 
senting commercial  interests,  member;  Marcos 
Roces,  representing  commercial  interests,  mem- 
ber; Gregorio  Singian,  physician  and  surgeon, 
member;  Gabriel  La  O,  lawyer,  member;  Crisanto 
Evangelista,  labor  representative,  member ; Jaime 
C.  de  Veyra,  Resident  Commissioner  from  the 
Philippines  in  the  United  States,  member  ex 
officio;  Teodoro  R.  Yangco,  Resident  Commis- 
sioner from  the  Philippines  in  the  United  States, 
member  ex  officio;  Quintin  Paredes,  attorney  gen- 
eral of  the  Philippine  Islands,  technical  adviser; 
Conrado  Benitez,  dean  college  of  liberal  arts, 
University  of  the  Philippines,  technical  adviser; 
Enrique  Altavas,  chief  of  land  registration  office, 
technical  adviser;  Camilo  Osias,  assistant  di- 
rector of  education,  technical  adviser;  Jose  A. 
Santos,  assistant  attorney  general,  technical-  ad- 
viser; Jorge  B.  Vargas,  major,  Philippine  Na- 
tional Guard,  aid;  Arsenio  N.  Luz,  editor  El 
Ideal;  Francisco  Varona,  associate  editor  El 
Debate;  Maximo  M.  Kalaw,  assistant  professor, 
University  of  the  Philippines,  secretary. 

122370 — 19489 


38 


Appendix  A. 

Fourth  Philippine  Legislature,  special  session  of  .1919. 
Resolution  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Philip- 
pines, in  joint  session  assembled,  adopting  a declaration  of  purposes 
for  the  guidance  of  the  commission  of  independence. 

Whereas  the  commission  of  independence  has  informed  the  Philippine 
Legislature  that  it  is  ready  to  receive  from  it  instructions  or  declara- 
tions for  its  future  guidance,  in  order  to  insure  the  best  possible  per- 
formance of  the  duties  of  the  commission  : Now,  therefore,  be  it 
Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Philip- 
pines, in  joint  session  assembled  in  the  Marble  Hall  of  the  Ayuntamiento, 
That  the  following  declaration  of  purposes  be,  and  the  same  hereby  is, 
adopted,  to  wit : 

DECLARATION  OF  PURPOSES. 

The  Philippine  question  has  reached  such  a stage  that  a full  and  final 
exchange  of  views  between  the  United  States  of  America  and  the  Philip- 
pine Islands  has  become  necessary.  We  need  not  repeat  the  declarations 
respecting  the  national  aspirations  of  the  Filipino  people.  Such  decla- 
rations have  been  made  from  time  to  time  in  the  most  frank  and  solemn 
manner  by  the  constitutional  representatives  of  the  Philippine  nation 
and  are  a matter  of  permanent  record  in  public  documents  covering 
more  than  a decade  of  persistent  efforts,  particularly  during  the  last 
^ three  years.  America,  on  hep- part,  has  been  sufficiently  explicit  in  her 
'■'V  purposes  from  the  beginning  of  her  occupation  of  the  Philippines.  It 
is  true  that  the  treaty  of  Paris,  whereby  the  sovereignty  formerly  exer- 
cised by  Spain  passed  to  the  United  States,  was  negotiated  and  con- 
cluded without  the  intervention  or  consent  of  the  Filipinos,  and  that 
the  United  States  of  America  did  not  occupy  the  Philippine  Archipelago 
upon,  a previous  categorical  declaration  like  that  formulated  and  made 
public  before  the  occupation  of  Cuba."  IJut,  aside  from  certain  differ- 
ences in  the  details  of  both  occupations  which,  not  having  been  fore- 
seen upon  the  declaration  of  war  between  the  United  States  and  Spain, 
■ subsequently  gave  rise  to  debate  and  differences  of  opinion  regarding 
. procedure,  it  is  an  incontrovertible  fact  that  the  definite  purpose  of  the 
United  States  in  both  cases  was  the  same  : The  disinterested  liberation 
of  the  peoples  subjugated  by  Spain.  The  American  flag  that  waved  over 
Cuba  for  lofty  reasons  of  humanity  and  justice,  scrupulously  observed 
and  respected  after  the  victory,  is  the  same  flag  which,  when  the  war 
spread  to  this  part  of  the  globe,  extended  its  protecting  folds  over  an- 
other people  anxious  for  justice  and  liberty.  And  that  American  flag 
could  not  stand  for  emancipation  in  Cuba  and  at  the  same  time  for 
forcible  subjugation  in  the  Philippines.  The  difference,  if  such  ever 
existed,  consisted  only  in  matters  of  detail  not  in  the  affirmative  and 
observance  of  the  cardinal  principles.  In  one  case,  owing  to  the  prox- 
imity of  Cuba  to  the  American  shores,  the  terms  of  the  problem  were 
known  at  the  outset  and  provisions  had  been  made  for  its  solution.  In 
the  other,  the  lack  of  adequate  information  in  the  United  States  as  to 
the  true  conditions  of  the  Philippine  problem,  aggravated  by  long  dis- 
tance, momentarily  obscured  the  question  and  naturally  gave  rise  to  a 
less  determined  and  speedy  procedure.  Thus  while  Cuba  became  free 
and  independent  after  scarcely  four  years  of  American  occupation,  the 
Philippines,  which  professed  the  same  ideals  as  their  sister  of  the 
Antilles,  continue  in  a state  of  dependency  after  more  than  20  years 
of  such  occupation. 

In  submitting  the  Philippine  question  to  the  Government  and  people 
of  the  United  States,  the  commission  of  independence  will  find  it  unnec- 
essary to  refer  to  the  natural  acerbity  of  the  situation  or  to  the  anxiety 
of  our  people  which  two  decades  of  occupation  have  only  served  to 
accentuate.  The  steadfastness  of  our  position  is  not  due  to  mere  senti- 
ment but  to  the  justice  of  our  cause,  sanctified  by  the  laVs  of  God  and 
nature  not  only  but  admitted  in  the  promises  solemnly  made  by  the 
United  States  and  accepted  by  the  Philippines.  Although  attention 
should  respectfully  be  invited  to  the  fact  that  the  Filipino  people  have 
never  renounced  their  independence,  not  even  in  the  moments  of  the 
greatest  adversity  brought  about  by  the  enforced  or  voluntary  submis- 
sion of  their  own  leaders,  yet  the  commission  of  independence  in  dwell- 
ing upon  the  promises  made  will  unreservedly  and  with  the  deepest 
gratitude  recognize  that  they  were  made  freely  and  generously  to  a 
small  and  powerless  people  after  they  had  suffered  defeat  in  the  field  of 
battle.  The  deliberate  attitude  of  our  country  in  reposing  confidence  in 
those  promises  and  laboring  peacefully  in  pursuance  thereof  must  also 
be  asserted.  Thus,  after  the  rupture  of  relations  occasioned  by  three 
years  of  war,  during  which  the  right  of  the  Filipinos  to  their  inde- 
pendence was  disputed,  unsuccessfully  so  far  as  they  were  concerned, 
122370—19489 


39 


violence  pave  way  to  harmony  and  hostility  to  cooperation  ; and  thanks 
to  the  growing  influence  of  the  new  conditions  of  peace,  Americans  and 
Filipinos  who  a .short  time  ago  fought  each  other  and  stained  the  Phil- 
ippine soil  with  blood,  undertook  jointly  together,  on  the  basis  of  a 
friendly  undertaking,  a magnificent  labor  which  has  been  carried  on 
with  the  orderly  progress  of  liberty  and  self-government. 

The  commission  must  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the  altruistic 
Ideals  and  the  wise  and  efficient  aid  of  America  in  peace  justly  won  for 
her  our  confidence  and  gratitude.  Far  from  allowing  a policy  of  selfish 
exploitation  to  direct  the  destinies  of  these  islands.  America  proclaimed 
and  insisted  that  the  interest  and  welfare  of  the  Philippines  were  to  be 
considered  a sacred  trust  confided  to  the  people  of  the  United  States. 
Instead  of  the  national  spirit  being  stifled,  it  was  announced  from  the 
outset  that  the  natural  development  of  self-government  would  be  pro- 
moted. The  total  surrender  of  the  government  of  the  municipalities  to 
popular  control,  the  constant  increase  in  the  measure  of  self-govern- 
ment in  the  administration  of  the  Provinces,  and  the  growing  participa- 
tion of  the  people*  in  the  management  of  the  central  government  and 
of  national  affairs  ; the  plan  of  a general  free  elementary  education  con- 
ceived from  the  start ; the  establishment  of  the  national  assembly,  with 
the  subsequent  addition  of  an  elective  senate,  and,  finally,  the  accept- 
ance of  the  offers  of  adhesion  and  aid  of  the  Philippines  to  the  cause  of 
America  in  the  recent  war,  based  on  the  principles  of  justice  and  self- 
government,  liberty  and  security  for  small  nations,  as  proclaimed  by 
the  Government  of  the  United  States,  are  fundamental  facts  of  the 
policy  of  America  in  these  islands  which  have  appealed  to  the  heart 
and  brightened  the  hopes  of  the  Filipino  people.  President  Roosevelt, 
proudly  contemplating,  rather  than  the  initial  results  of  the  work, 
the  loftiness  and  purity  of  the  principles  enunciated,  said  with  good 
reason  that  “ No  great  civilized  power  has  ever  handled  with  such  wis- 
dom and-  disinterestedness  the  affairs  of  a people  committed  by  the  acci- 
dent of  war  to  its  hands.”  “ Save  only  our  attitude  towards  Cuba,” 
Mr.  Roosevelt  continued,  “I  question  whether  there  is  a brighter' page 
in  the  annals  of  international  dealing  between  the  strong  and  tlte  weak 
than  the  page  which  tells  of  our  doings  in  the  Philippines.”  (Jan.  27. 
1908.)  And  subsequently  he  proclaimed  in  a message  to  Congress  that 
“ the  Filipino  people,  through  their  officials,  are  therefore  making  real 
steps  in  the  direction  of  self-government  ” and  that  he  hoped  and 
trusted  that  these  steps  would  mark  “ the  beginning  of  a course  which 
will  continue  till  the  Filipinos  become  fit  to  decide  for  themselves 
whether  they  desire  to  be  an  independent  nation.”  (Dec.  8,  1908.)  In 
the  opinion  of  William  II.  Taft,  who  implanted  our  civil  regime,  the 
national  policy  wTith  regard  to  the  Philippines  contemplated  a gradual 
and  constant  extension  of  popular  control,  and  making  a logical  deduc- 
tion, he  said,  “ When  the  Filipino  people  as  a w-hole,  show  themselves 
reasonably  tit  to  conduct  a popular  self-government,  maintaining  law 
and  order  and  offering  equal  protection  of  the  law's  and  civil  rights  to 
rich  and  poor,  and  desire  complete  independence  of  the  United  States, 
they  shall  be  given  it.”  (Jan.  23,  1908.)  These  statements  of  Mr. 
Taft,  made  while  he  w-as  Secretary  of  War,  were  confirmed  by  him 
when,  as  President  of  the  United  States,  he  said  in  a message  to  Con- 
gress : “We  should  endeavor  to  secure  for  the  Filipinos  economic  inde- 
pendence and  to  fit  them  for  complete  self-government,  with  the  power 
to  decide  eventually,  according  to  their  own  largest  good,  whether  such 
self-government  shall  be  accompanied  by  independence.”  (Dec.  6, 
1912.) 

On  March  4,  1913,  there  was  a change  fn  the  administration  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  power  passed  from  the  Republicans  to  the  Demo- 
crats. Seven  months  later  Hon.  Francis  Burton  Harrison,  the  new 
Governor  General,  communicated  to  the  Filipino  people  the  following 
message  from  President  Wilson  : 

“ We  regard  ourselves  as  trustees,  acting  not  for  the  advantage  of 
the  United  States,  but  for  the  benefit  of  the  people  of  the  Philippine 
Islands.  Every  step  we  take  will  be  taken  with  a view  to  the  ultimate 
independence  of  the  islands  and  as  a preparation  for  that  independence. 
And  we  hope  to  move  toward  that  end  as  rapidly  as  the  safety  and 
the  permament  interests  of  the  islands  will  permit.  After  each  step 
taken  experience  will  guide  us  to  the  next.”  (Oct.  6,  1913.) 

On  the  occasion  of  the  change  in  the  Philippine  Commission,  which 
acted  as  the  upper  house  of  the  legislature,  the  Filipinos  were  givep  an 
effective  majority  in  both  houses,  and  in  accordance  with  the  new 
policy,  that  in  the  administration  of  affairs  in  the  Philippines  America 
desired  not  her  own  counsel,  but  the  counsel  of  the  Filipinos,  the  Fili- 
pinization  of  the  service  was  accelerated  and  other  administrative  meas- 
ures were  adopted  to  extend  the  popular  control  in  the  government. 
Finally,  maintaining  all  the  progress  made  and  emphasizing  the  steps 
122370— 194S9 


40 


toward  independence,  frankly  announced  by  President  Wilson,  the  Con- 
gress of  the  United  States  approved  the  new  organic  law  for  the  Philip- 
pines of  August  20,  1010,  which  formally  promises  the  Filipinos  their 
independence  and  grants  them  a more  nutonomous  government.  Thus 
the  burden  of  the  international  responsibilities  assumed  by  the  United 
States  by  virtue  of  the  treaty  of  Paris  passed  in  effect  to  the  hands  of 
the  Filipino  people,  and  a pact  was  virtually  consummated  between 
America  and  the  Philippines,  analogous  to  that  established  between 
America  and  Cuba  by  the  passage  of  the  Teller  resolution,  which  led  to 
the  war  between  America  and  Spain  and  publicly  defined  America’s 
purpose  .at  that  time. 

During  this  period  of  confident  waiting,  when  our  attitude  was  one 
of  mere  cooperation  as  well  as  when  we  assumed  the  new  powers  con- 
ferred by  the  Jones  law,  the  commission  of  independence  will  find 
throughout  the  entire  record  of  over  20  years  positive  facts  demon- 
strating our  full  capacity  for  national  independence  and  self-government. 
In  the  plan  of  a general  free  education  and  of  sanitary  improvements  ; 
in  the  vast  public-works  program  with  respect  to  roads  and  bridges, 
public  buildings,  and  irrigation  systems;  in  the  fostering  of  agriculture, 
industry,  ami  commerce,  including  the  provision  of  banking  facilities, 
port  improvements,  and  an  adequate  system  of  transportation  by  land 
and  sea  ; in  the  establishment  of  an  efficient  civil  service  and  an  inde- 
pendent judiciary;  in  the  constant  development  of  self-government  in 
the  local  organizations  and  the  central  government  and  in  the  adoption 
of  measures  for  the  free  and  orderly  exercise  of  the  popular  suffrage  ; 
in  the  exercise,  in  fine,  of  all  the  political  powers  intrusted  to  us  no- 
effort has  been  spared  to  promote  the  public  good.  Any  unprejudiced 
critic  will  find  after  an  Impartial  examination  that  we  have  success- 
fully created  a condition  which  demonstrates  that  the  Filipino  people, 
in  managing  their  own  affairs,  can  maintain  law  and  order  and  afford 
equal  protection  to  all,  whether  foreigners  or  nationals. 

Despite  the  party  struggles  that  precede  the  elections,  particularly 
those  that  attended  the  first  general  election  held  on  the  occasion  of 
the  inauguration  of  the  Philippine  Assembly,  the  work  of  that  body 
and  that  of  the  present  purely  elective  legislature  which  succeeded  it 
show  that  there  exists  in  these  islands  a strong  and  complete  national 
unity  which  places  general  interests  above  petty  local  partisanships. 
In' our  budget  system,  successfully  implanted  since  both  houses  became 
elective,  no  costly  extravagance,  local  selfishness,  or  “ log-rolling  ” and 
“ pork-barrel  ” practices  find  any  place.  Our  financial  system  and  the 
appearance  of  cabinet  members  before  the  houses  of  the  legislature 
have  effected  a coordination  of  forces  and  leadership  which  has  pro- 
moted the  efficiency  of  the  administration  and  assured  its  responsibility 
to  the  people.  The  stability  of  the  present  Government,  managed 
almost  entirely  by  Filipinos,  has  been  put  to  a test  not  only  by  the 
extension  of  its  authority  to  all  the  remote  districts  of  the  islands 
inhabitated  by  Mohammedans  and  other  non-Christian  Filipinos,  where, 
as  in  the  rest  of  the  country,  there  now  reigns  perfect  order  maintained 
by  civil  officers,  but  also  by  the  uninterrupted  maintenance  of  a com- 
plete state  of  peace,  order,  and  security  during  the  recent  war  which 
devastated  the  fields  of  Europe  and  sowed  the  seed  of  restlessness  and 
discontent  throughout  the  world. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  appreciation  of  the  high  purposes  and  disin- 
terested work  of  the  Americans  who  have  aided  the  Filipinos,  all  useful 
public  institutions  in  existence  at  the  inauguration  of  the  Philippine 
Assembly  in  1907  have  been  preserved  and  perfected.  Notwithstanding 
the  policy  of  F^lipinization  implanted  by  President  McKinley,  no  Ameri- 
can employee  in  sympathy  with  this  country  and  with  the  common 
work  carried  on  has  been  retired  from  the  service  against  his  will  and 
without  an  equitable  compensation.  It  must  be  a source  of  legitimate 

gride  and  satisfaction  to  every  American  to  know  that  the  noble  and 
umanitarian  purposes  expressed  by  President  McKinley  and  his  suc- 
cessors in  their  instructions,  messages,  and  other  official  documents  as 
the  reason  for  American  occupation  has  been  successfully  attained  by 
the  united  and  harmonious  effort  of  Americans  and  Filipinos. 

Now,  in  applying  the  principles  enunciated  in  documents  and  utter- 
ances on  the  Philippines  to  the  conditions  now  existing  in  the  islands, 
the  independence  mission  will  find  the  following  facts  : 

That  there  exist  at  present  in  the  Philippine  Islands  the  conditions 
of  order  and  government  which  America  has  for  nearly  a century  and  a 
half  required  in  ail  cases  in  which  she  has  recognized  the  independence 
of  a country  or  the  establishment  of  a new  government,  not  even 
excepting  the  case  of  the  government  of  Gen.  Huerta  in  Mexico,  which 
she  refused  to  recognize  because  it  was  stained  with  blood  and  estab- 
lished through  intrigue,  deceit,  and  crime. 

122370— 194S9 


/ 


41 


That  there  exist  likewise  in  the  Philippines  all  the  conditions  of 
stability  and  guaranties  for  law  and  order  that  Cuba  had  to  establish 
to  the  satisfaction  of  America  in  order  to  obtain  her  independence,  or 
to  preserve  it,  during  the  military  occupation  of  189S-1902  and  during 
the  intervention  of  1906-1909,  respectively. 

That  the  “ preparation  for  independence  ” and  the  “ stable  govern- 
ment ” required  by  President  Wilson  and  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States,  respectively,  contain  no  new  requisite  not  included  in  any  of 
the  cases  above  cited. 

That  these  prerequisites  for  Philippine  independence  are  the  same 
as  those  virtually  or  expressly  established  by  the  Republican  administra- 
tions that  preceded  President  Wilson’s  admirystration. 

That  during  the  entire  time  that  the  Filipino  people  have  been  with 
America  they  have  been  living  in  the  confidence  that  the  American  occu- 
pation was  only  temporary,  and  that  its  final  aim  \yas  not  aggrandize- 
ment or  conquest,  but  the  peace,  welfare,  and  liberty  of  the  Filipino 
people. 

That  this  faith  in  the  promises  of  America  was  a cardinal  factor, 
not  only  in  the  cooperation  between  Americans  and  Filipinos  during  the 
years  of  peace  but  also  in  the  cooperation  between  Americans  and  Fili- 
pinos during  the  late  war  ; 

That  the  condition  of  thorough  development  of  the  internal  affairs 
of  the  country  and  the  present  international  atmosphere  of  justice, 
liberty,  and  security  for  all  peoples  are  the  most  propitious  for  the 
fulfillment  by  America  of  her  promises  and  for  her  redemption  of  the 
pledges  she  has  made  before  the  world. 

In  the  light  ,of  these  facts  and  considerations  the  Filipino  people  are 
confident  that  it  will  be  possible  to  arrive  at  a satisfactory  final  de- 
cision, as  we  deal  no  longer  with  a disputed  question  but  are  merely 
endeavoring  to  agree  upon  the  final  adjustment  of  a matter  with  regard 
to  which,  according  to  President  Wilson’s  words,  there  exists,  so  far 
as  fundamentals  are  concerned,  “ a perfect  harmony  of  ideals  and  feel- 
ings ” between  the  Govertiments  of  the  United  States  and  of  the  Philip- 
pine Islands,  which  harmony  has  brought  about  “ that  read  friendship 
and  mutual  support  which  is  the  foundation  of  all  sound  political 
policy.”  (Nov.  29,  1918.) 

Therefore,  so  far  as  it  is  humanly  possible  to  judge  and  say,  wc  can 
see  only  one  aim  for  the  commission  of  independence  : Independence  ; 
and  v^e  can  give  only  one  instruction  : To  get  it.  Thus  America,  in 
adding  another  glory  to  her  banner  by  establishing  the  first  really 
democratic  republic  in  the  East,  will  apply  a second  time,  generously 
and  freely,  the  same  measure  of  humanity  and  justice  that  she  applied 
In  the  case  of  Ufiba,  which  is  but  a logical  and  natural  sequence  of  the 
immorta'  principles  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  This  declara- 
tion. which  belongs  to  all  'humanity,  has  now  as  much  force  as  it  had 
in  the  days  when  America  proclaimed  it.  America  will  thus  vindicate 
the  memory  of  PresidentvMcKinley,  to  whom  the  “ forcible  annexation  ” 
of  peoples  meant  “ criminal  hggression,”  and  who  upon  taking  over 
the  Philippines  “ for  high  duty  in  the  interest  of  their  inhabitants  and 
for  humanity  and  civilization,”  solemnly  said : “ Our  sacrifices  were 
with  this  high  motive.  We  want  to  improve  the  condition  of  the  in- 
habitants, securing  them  peace,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  their  highest 
good.” 

Thus  finally  America  will  carry  out  tfie  efforts  and  assurances  of 
President  Wilson  when,  upon  the  signing  of  the  armistice,  he  said  to 
the  Filipinos  : “ I hope  and  believe  that  the  future  holds  brighter  hope 
for  the  States  which  have  heretofore  been  the  prey  of  great  powers 
and  will  realize  for  all  the  world  the  offers  of  justice  and  peace  which 
have  prompted  the  magnificent  cooperation  of  the  present  war  ” (Nov. 
29,  1918). 

The  Filipinos  will  thus  have  a better  opportunity  to  demonstrate 
how  deeply  rooted  is  their  gratitude  for  America  when,  after  her  vol- 
untary withdrawal  from  these  islands,  we  preserve  here  the  immortal 
spirit  of  her  democratic  institutions  and  associate  with  her  in  her 
future  enterprises  of  justice  'anti  peace  in  carrying  to  the  darkest  cor- 
ners of  the  earth, -which  lack  happiness  because  their  people  do  not 
control  their  own  destinies,  the  quickening  flame  of  justice,  democracy, 
and  liberty. 

122370—19480 


42 


' Appendix  B. 

Instructions  from  the  Commission  of  Independence  to  the  Philippine 

Mission. 

Manila,  P.  I.,  March  n,  1919. 

By-authority  of  the  Philippine  Legislature,  and  acting  under  its  in- 
structionsj  the  Commission  of  Independence  has  resolved  that  the  fol- 
lowing statement  be  sent  to  the  Philippine  Mission  : 

The  Philippine  Mission  will  please  convey  to  the  Government  of  the 
United  States  the  frankest  assurance  of  the  good  will,  friendship,  and 
gratitude  of  the  Filipino  people,  and  submit  with  as  much  respect  as 
confidence  the  question  of  Philippine  independence,  with  a view  to  its 
final  settlement.  The  attention  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States 
is  respectfully  invited  to  the  summary  of  facts  and  propositions  con- 
sidered In  the  declaration  of  purposes  approved  by  the  Philippine  Legis- 
lature on  March  8,  1919.  « 

It  i3  singularly  fortunate  for  the  Philippine  nation  that  there  seems 
to  be  no  controversy  concerning  either  the  pertinent  principles  or  the 
capital  facts  of  the  matter.  The  Filipinos  venture  to  believe  that  all 
that  is  necessary  is  a frank  exchange  of  views  in  order  to  arrive  in  a 
prompt  and  satisfactory  manner  at  a definite  adjustment  of  details  which 
will  result  in  the  complete  and  final  execution  of  the  plans  outlined 
in  accordance  with  the  principles  already  established  and  agreed  upon. 

It  is  well  known  that  these  principles  are 'so  old  that  many  of  them, 
and  one  may  even  say  all  of  them,  already  found  faithful  expression 
in  the  immortal  days  of  1770,  when  in  the  New  World  a people  smaller 
and  with  less  resources  than  the  Filipino  people  entered  upon  the 
fearless  undertaking  of  establishing  a new  government  founded  upon 
the  proposition  that  its  just  powers  were  derived  not  from  the  will 
of  monarchs  but  from  the  consent  of  the  governed.  It  was  not  the  first 
time  that  a people  threw  off  the  vokc  of  a foreign  Government,  but  it 
was  the  first  case  in  which  a people  dissatisfied  with  the  political  bonds 
which  had  connected  them  with  their  forme*  sovereign,  invoking  the 
laws  of  God  and  nature,  established  the  principles  of  liberty  and  justice 
not  only  for  themselves  but  also  for  the  other  subject  'peoples  of  the 
world.  > 

Having  lived  for  over  two  decades  side  by  side  with  the  people  of 
the  United  Slates,  the  Filipino  people  have  become  convinced  that  those 
principles  are  now  as  real  and  powerful  as  in  the  days  when  they  were 
enunciated.  Although  it  has  not  been  possible  to  avoid  certain  isolated 
expressions  made  in  apparent  violation  of  those  principles,  yet  it  can 
not  be  denied  that  the  only  authorized  declarations  regarding  the 
American  policy  in  these  islands  have  been  specific  and  definite,  and 
having  been  reiterated  from  time  to  time  have  led  the  Filipino  people 
to  believe,  as  they  have  with  good  reason  believed,  that  the  purposes 
of  America  were  not  of  domination  or  self-aggrandizement,  but  of 
altruism,  humanity,  and  liberty. 

On  the  basis  of  this  understanding  the  attitude  of  the  Filipinos  has 
been  one  of  confident  waiting.  Busily  engaged  in  the  reconstruction 
that  necessarily  followed  the  war,  as  well  as  in  the  reaffirmation  of 
their  personality,  the  Filipino  people  have  successfully-  exercised  the 
political  powers  conferred  upon  them,  first  giving  their  loyal  and 
peaceful  cooperation,  and  subsequently  assuming  an  almost  complete 
control  of  their  internal  affairs.  Their  national  record  of  over  20 
years,  from  the  first  day  of  American  occupation  until  the  present,  is 
an  open  book,  and  is  now  unhesitatingly  submitted  to  the  examinaion 
and  criticism  of  the  world. 

Moreover,  the  triumph  of  democracy  in  the  moral  and  political  evolu- 
tion of  human  institutions  through  the  recent  war  has  infused  new  life 
into  the  principles  enunciated  in  1776,  and  in  fact  has  confirmed  and 
ratified  the  promises  of  1916.  The  Filipino  people,  seeing  their  own 
cause  involved  in  the  cause  of  the  United  States  in  that  war,  gave  their 
support  to  the  same.  They  not  only  placed  all  their  modest  energies 
and  resources  at  the  service  of  Ameria,  but  in  the  spirit  of  a real  and 
active  community  of  ideals  and  • interests  they  resolutely  assumed  the 
international  responsibilities  of  that  country  in  the  Philippines.  It 
will  not  be  amis  to  say  now  that  during  all  that  time  of  commotion 
and-  restlessness  the  public  order  was  maintained  here  as  perfectly 
as  in  the  preceding  years,  and  the  American  flag  continued  to  float 
undisturbed,  not  because  it  was  supported  by  a military  force,  of  which 
there  was  hardly  any,  but  because  of  the  loyal  and  vigilant  allegiance 
of  the  Filipinos. 

Now  that  the  war  is  over  and  the  world  is  engaged  in  the  application 
of  the  principles  that  have  come  out  triumphant  from  it ; now  that  the 
122370 — 19489 


43 


Filipino  people  have  met  the  tests  to  which  their  capacity  has  been 
submitted,  can  it  be  deemed  inopportune  or  ill-advised  for  them  to  sub- 
mit the  pending  question  to  the  United  States  or  to  any  other  compe- 
tent tribunal  of  the  fforld  for  its  final  adjustment?  The  problem  being 
so  varied  in  its  aspects,  the  Filipino  people  will  Welcome  an  opportunity 
to  discuss  the  terms  of  the  concession  of  independence  and  the  scope 
of  the  covenants  necessary  for  the  guaranty,  safety,  and  stability  of  the 
new  State  and  for  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  such  external 
relations,  especially  with  America,  as  may  be  equitable  and  beneficial  and 
as  the  circumstances  may  demand.  In  this  respect  they  are  guided  by 
the  spirit  of  the  steps  previously  taken  with  the  Government  of  the 
United  States,  especially  by  reason  of  the  mutual  understanding  and 
benefit  that  were  taken  into  account  when  the  independence  bill  of  1914 
'was  drafted.  Inasmuch  as  the  situation  of  the  international  affairs  has 
been  altered  by  the  irresistible  force  of  tyie  principles  consecrated  by 
the  recent  war,  it  is  evident  that  the  plan  contained  in  that  bill  can  not 
be  carried  into  effect  without  certain  suitable  revisions.  One  of  them  is 
that,  inasmuch  as  the  Filipino  people  believe  in  the  efficacy  of  a general 
concert  of  responsible  powers  established  for  the  common  cause  of  jus- 
tice and  the  preservation  of  the  peace  of  the  world,  they  would  be  ready 
to  agree  to  any  arrangement  by  which  the  Philippines  would  be  enabled 
to  participate  in  the  concert  as  soon  as  possible. 

The  Filipino  people  would  not  be  just  to  themselves  if  at  this  moment, 
when  their  political  separation  from  the  sovereign  country  is  being 
urged,  they  should  fail  to  express  in  the  clearest  and  most  definite  man- 
ner the  sentiments  and  purposes  that  inspire  their  action.  They  there- 
fore deem  it  their  duty  to  affirm  : That  independence,  instead  of  destroy- 
ing or  weakening,  will  strengthen  the  bonds  of  friendship  and  apprecia- 
tion arising  from  the  gratitude  of  the  Filipino  people  not  only  for  the 
final  measure  of  complete  justice  and  humanity  that  they  confidently 
expect,  but  for  all  the  previous  disinterested'  work  so  splendidly  per- 
formed for  the  benefit  of  the  Philippines  by  so  many  faithful  sons  and 
daughters  of  America  ; that  this  gratitude  will  be  the  fundamental  factor 
in  the  future  relations  between  the  United  States  -and  the  Philippine 
Islands  ; that  in  the  present  state  of  the  international  affairs  the  Fili- 
pino people  merely  aspire  to  become  another  conscious  and  direct  in- 
strument for  the  progress  of  liberty  and  civilization  ; that  in  the  tran- 
quil course  of  their  years  of  constitutional  development  they  will  main- 
tain for  all  people  inhabiting  their  hospitable  land  the  essence  and  bene- 
fit of  democratic  institutions  ; that  they  will  continue  to  associate^  in 
so  far  as  this  will  be  acceptable  and  their  strength  will  permit,  in  the 
work  of  reconstruction,  justice,  and  peace  carried  on  by  the  United' 
States  in  continuation  of  those  other  undertakings,  the  high  purpose  of 
which  was  the  cause,  according  to  President  Wilson,  “ of  the  magnifi- 
cent cooperation  during  the  war  ” between  the  American  and  Filipino 
peoples  ; and,  finally,  that  in  thus  preserving  their  best  traditions  and 
institutions  in  the  new  situation  which  will  strengthen  and  perfedf  them, 
the  Filipino  people  will  continue  to  make  this  country,  as  heretofore,  a 
place  of  law  and  order,  justice  and  liolrty,  where  Americans  and  for- 
eigners, as  well  as  nationals,  may  live  peacefully  in  the  pursuit  of  happi- 
ness and  prosperity  and  safe  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  property  as  well 
as  of  their  rights  and  their  liberty. 

Sergio  Osmena, 

Speaker  House  of  Representatives. 

. Espiridion  Gdanco, 

* Acting  President  Philippine  Senate. 

122370—19489 


O 


i 


t 


* 


# 


■ \ 


t 


